NEWFOUNDLAND 


IN 


1900. 


A  Treatise  of  the  Geography,  Natural  Resources  and 
History  of  the  Island,  Embracing  an  Account  of 
Recent  and  Present  Large  Material  Movements, 
Finely  Illustrated  with  Maps  and  Half-tone 
Engravings. 


"The  Scenic  Attractions  of   Newfoundland  are  Great  in  Diversity  and 
Beauty,  and  its  Summer  Climate  is  Delightful."         .         .         .         .         . 


New  York:    The  South  Publishing  C<>. 

St.  John  s,  N.  F.:     S.  R,  (iarland. 

1900. 


INTRODUCTION. 

After  an  isolation  of  400  years,  the  people  of  Newfound- 
land have,  by  the  completion  of  the  Trans-Insular  Railway,  been 
brought  in  touch  with  the  outside  world.  During  this  long 
period  the  conditions  of  life  were  most  primitive.  Fntil  a  date 
quite  recent  the  colony  was  without  roads,  without  agriculture, 
without  manufactures  and  without  the  most  ordinary  con- 
veniences. 

To  the  inhabitants  of  Newfoundland  through  all  those 
dreary  centuries  there  was  not  even  the  boon  of  an  alternative. 
Their  sole  and  inevitable  fate  was  to  dwell  on  the  rock-bound 
coast  and  follow  the  treacherous  main.  Here  generation  after 
generation  has  existed,  confronting  the  pitiless  rigors  of  the 
climate  and  the  terrors  of  the  sea.  To  endure  and  survive 
these  extreme  hardships  and  perils,  implied  more  than  a  mere 
rude  subsistence.  It  was  from  this  hard  discipline  of  privation 
and  self-sacrilice  that  heroic  qualities  were  evolved.  This  is 
the  reward,  of  far  greater  worth  than  all  material  gains,  which 
Nature  gives  to  those  who  abide  with  her  and  whose  destinies 
are  in  her  keeping. 

If  those  v/hose  lives  have  been  cast  amidst  the  stirring 
scenes  of  this  fast-advancing  age,  coming  to  this  peaceful 
land,  have  new  and  valuable  ideas  to  impart,  so  have  they  in 
turn   much  to  gain.     To   rest  for  a  time  from  life's  warfare 


6  NEWFOUNDLAND. 

amidst  these  traiKiuil  scenes  is  to  gain  new  health  and  nobler 
aspirations.     It  is  to  realize  the  true  import  of  life. 

Newfoundland  is  no  longer  a  remote  and  an  inaccessible 
island.  It  can  now  be  reached  in  a  few  hours  by  rail  with  all 
the  comforts  of  modern  travel,  save  a  six  hours  sail  in  an 
elegant  steamship.  Warm  suns,  jj;enial  skies  and  the  brijjjht 
landscaj)es  of  a  fair  country  await  the  comer,  and  this  welcome 
is  emi)hasized  by  an  earnest  and  a  kindly  peoi)le,  who,  like  other 
earthly  pilgrims,  are  struggling  along  the  rugged  path  of  life, 
toiling,  hoi)ing,  asi)iring  amidst  successes  and  defeats,  in  sun- 
light and  in  gloom,  for  the  better  days  to  come. 

At  no  period  in  its  history  have  the  i)ros])ects  of  the 
colony  been  so  bright  as  at  the  present  time.  The  railway  has 
wrought  a  change  in  its  internal  atfairs  and  in  its  relation  to 
the  world  at  large,  which  involves  a  material  and  social  revolu- 
tion. New  men,  new  lif;%  new  industries  and  new  customs  are 
the  inevitable  results  that  must  come  from  this  great  |)ublic 
work. 

This  book  ai)i)ears  at  the  dawn  of  this  advancing  movement, 
with  the  purpose  and  the  ho])e  of  aiding  in  its  progress.  It  is 
a  concise  statement  of  history  and  development  ])resented  in 
attractive  form  and  is  commended  to  seekers  for  information  of 
this  ancient  colony,  of  whose  auspicious  destiny  it  is  prophetic. 

The  Kev.  M.  Harvey,  LL.D.,  F.  U.  S.  C,  whose  writings 
have  enriched  the  literature  of  the  colony,  is  the  author  of  the 
within  text. 


HRR  IMl'KKIAl,  MAIKSTV,  OUEEN  VK  TORIA. 


CONTENTS. 


Chai'TKK     I.     Historicul  Outline, 11 

II.     (JeoKraphical  Outline, l'.> 

III.— nimate. 27 

IV.— Scenery, 31 

V.     Fisheries, 41 

VI.     A{<ricultural  Capabilities, (5.S 

VII.     Crown  Lands, 7") 

VIII.     Mineral.s,      -        -         - 7!> 

IX.-  Public  Roads, US 

X.     Routes  of  Travel, 97 

XI.-  Along  the  Railway, 127 

XII.  (;aine, 137 

XIII.  The  PVench  Shore  C^uestion, 141 

XIV.  The  French  Islands. 14.^i 

XV.— The  Inhabitants  of  Newfoundland,          ....  147 

XVI. — Population,  Religious  Dtmominations,  Etc.,     -         -         -  153 

XVII.— Education,  -        -        - 1,55 

XVIII.     Form  of  Government, 157 

XIX.     The  Aborigines, 161 

XX. — Labrador, 1(53 

XXI. — Newfoundland  Railway, 1G9 

XXII. — Petty  Harbor  Hydraulic  Elt'ctrical  System  and  the  Street 

Railway, 175 

XXIII.     Hell  Isl.ind, 181 


NEWFOUNDLAND, 

CHAPTHR  I. 

HISTOKK^AL  OUTLINE. 

rllK  History  of  the  Island  of  Newfoundland  ])resents  many 
points  of  great  interest,  and  connects  itself  closely  with 
that  of  both  England  and  America.  Its  story  begins  only  five 
years  after  the  discovery  of  America  by  Columbus.  In  1497, 
John  Cabot  the  discoverer  of  North  America,  touched  these 
shores  on  his  first  memorable  voyage,  and  made  known  the  ex- 
istence of  this  great  island.  Eighty-six  years  afterwards,  Eng- 
land formally  took  possession  of  the  island  which  was  hers 
already  by  right  of  discovery,  and  here  Sir  Humphrey  (iilbert 
first  raised  the  flag  of  England  in  the  New  World  and  planted 
the  first  English  Colony.  England  achieved  her  first  success  in 
maritime  discovery  and  colonization  here.  liesides,  it  was  in 
prosecuting  the  rich  fisheries  in  its  encompassing  waters  that 
English  sailors  first  learned  how  to  rule  the  waves,  and  thus 
were  laid  the  foundations  of  England's  maritime  sui)remacy. 

To  guard  and  extend  these  fisheries,  colonies  were  first 
planted  on  the  North  American  continent,  and  thus  the  be- 
ginnings of  Anglo-Saxon  occupation  of  these  vast  territories 
were  secured.  The  history  of  Newfoundland  connects  itself 
closely  with  the  great  struggles  between  England  and  France 
for  the  possession  of  North  America  which  ended  in  the  capture 
of  Quebec  by  Wolf  in  1759.  During  the  continuance  of  the 
great   duel   between  the  two  nations  the  French  made  many 


12  NKWFOUNDLANI). 

attempts  to  ()l)tain  and  hold  j)ossession  of  Newfoundland,  but 
by  the  treaty  of  Ftrecht  (171)^),  they  renounced  all  territorial 
rights  in  the  island.  I'nfortunately  however,  they  were  granted 
permission  to  fish  and  dry  their  fish  on  a  i)()rtion  of  the  coast, 
about  700  miles  in  length,  a  ccmcurrent  not  an  exclusive 
right;  and  afterwards  the  islands  of  St.  Pierre  and  Miquelon 
at  the  mouth  of  Fortune  Hay  were  ceded  to  France  for  the 
shelter  of  her  fishermen.  The  treaty  rights  thus  given  to  the 
French  have  been  a  great  drawback  to  the  prosperity  of  the 
colony,  and  are  still  a  serious  incubus  on  its  progress. 

After  the  nays  of  Sir  Huni|)hrey  (lilbert  (1581^),  various 
attempts  were  made  to  colonize  the  island,  but  without  any 
marked  success.  The  names  of  John  (luy  (lOlO),  Sir  (leorge 
Calvert  (1()2'^),  and  Sir  David  Kirk  (KJ-SS),  figure  among  the 
colonizers. 

In  161"),  ('ai)tain  Richard  Whitbourne  was  sent  out  by  the 
Admiralty  of  Fngland  to  establish  order  among  the  fishing 
po])ulati(m;  and  in  1(522,  on  his  return  to  Fngland,  he 
published  a  book  called  « A  Discourse  and  Discovery  of  New- 
foundland." 

All  this  time,  however,  a  race  of  hardy  industrious  men  were 
gradually,  though  slowly,  settling  themselves  on  the  shores  of 
the  island,  attracted  by  the  rich  fisheries.  These  fisheries  were 
at  first  carried  on  by  migratory  fishermen  from  p]ngland,  who 
spent  the  summer  in  fishing,  and  returned  on  the  apj)r()ach  of 
winter.  As  many  as  200  English  vessels,  mainly  from  the  west 
of  England,  employing  10,000  men  and  boys,  frecjuented  these 
waters  from  1(500  onward.  These  fisheries  were  declared  to  be 
« the  stay  and  sui)port  of  the  west  counties  of  England,"  and 
«the  fisheries  were  worth  £100,000  annually  to  liritish  sub- 
jects," an  immense  sum  in  those  days.  This  lucrative  fishery 
was  carried  on    by   certain    English    "merchant  adventurers" 


RT.   HON.  jOSKPH  CHAMHICkl.AIX.   M.  P.. 
Seoretary  of  State  for  Uk-  Colonies 


NEWFOUNDLAND.  15 

as  they  were  called  who  made  it  a  monopoly,  and  in  order  to  do 
so  they  induced  the  English  government  to  pass  laws  prohibiting 
settlement  in  the  island  and  compelling  all  fishermen  to  return 
to  England  at  the  close  of  the  fishing  season. 

It  was  made  a  penal  offence  to  enclose  or  cultivate  the 
smallest  piece  of  ground.  Without  a  special  license  no  house 
could  be  built  or  repaired.  These  absurd  and  oppressive  laws, 
preventing  the  settlement  of  the  island,  were  in  operation  for 
more  than  150  years,  and  it  was  not  till  the  beginning  of  the 
present  century  that  the  last  of  them  were  swept  from  the 
statute  book.  The  celebrated  « Fishing  Admirals  »>  were  the 
administrators  of  the  law  and  oppressed  the  people  sorely. 

All  this  time,  however,  a  sturdy,  industrious  population  in 
spite  of  these  cruel  laws,  were  settling  and  making  homes  for 
themselves  around  the  shores  of  the  island.  They  held  their 
ground  and  increased  in  numbers,  and  courageously  fought  the 
battle  of  freedom.  England  at  last  awoke  to  the  injustice  and 
cruelty  of  these  laws,  and  they  were  gradually  repealed;  but  so 
late  as  1799,  houses  were  pulled  down  in  St.  John's  by  order  of 
the  Governor  because  built  without  a  license,  and  the  restric- 
tions on  building  and  enclosing  ground  were  not  entirely  re- 
moved till  1820.  Only  then  did  progress  become  possible.  In 
1804,  the  resident  population  numbered  only  20,500. 

In  1882,  England  granted  to  the  Colony  the  great  boon  of 
rei)resentative  government,  and  in  1854,  responsible  govern- 
ment. Progress  was  rai)id.  Roads  were  made,  bridges  l)uilt 
and  provision  was  made  for  the  establishment  and  maintenance 
of  education.  The  country  began  to  be  explored  and  opened 
up.  A  geological  survey  of  the  island  was  begun  in  1864,  and 
its  natural  resources  were  found  to  be  great. 

The  first  copper  mine  was  opened  in  1864,  and  was  speedily 
followed  by  others.    In  1866  the  Atlantic  cable  found  a  resting 


I6  NEWFOUNDLAND. 

place  on  the  shores  of  the  island,  and  connected  it  with  fin^- 
land  and  America. 

Steam  communication  direct  with  Europe  and  America 
v/as  established  in  1878;  and  in  1884  the  first  railway,  eighty- 
three  miles  in  length,  between  St.  John's  and  Harbor  (Jrace, 
was  opened. 

In  189?,,  a  contract  was  made  for  the  construction  of  a 
trans-insular  railway  from  the  capital  to  Port-aux-Basques  (548 
miles),  over  which  regular  trains  began  to  run  on  July  24,  1898, 
and  a  fine  steamer  in  connection  with  it,  makes  the  run  across 
Cabot  Strait  to  North  Sydney,  Cape  Breton  in  six  hours.  Iron 
and  copper  mines  are  now  worked  in  various  localities.  The 
population  (1898),  is  about  210,000. 

A  fine  dry  dock  is  built  in  St.  John's.  The  annual  value  of 
agricultural  products  is  over  $750,000,  and  the  value  of  land 
under  cultivation,  together  with  the  cattle,  sheep  and  horses, 
over  $2,500,000. 


SIR  HENRY  E.  McCALLUM, 
Governor. 


CHAPTHR   II. 

GEOGRAPHICAL   OUTLINE. 

The  geographical  jjosition  of  the  island  is  unique  and 
singularly  important  and  commanding.  Anchored  at  no  great 
distance  off  the  North  American  continent,  and  stretching  right 
across  the  entrance  of  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence,  to  which  it 
affords  access  at  both  its  northern  and  southern  extremities,  it 
might  be  regarded  as  a  i)lace  of  arms,  and  defence,  for  the 
power  that  holds  it  i)()ssesses  the  key  of  the  St.  Lawrence.  It 
may  be  compared  to  a  huge  bastion  thrown  out  into  the  North 
Atlantic,  which  if  duly  fortified  and  armed,  could  be  made  the 
(Jibraltar  of  the  surrounding  seas.  Its  southwestern  extremity 
is  within  sixty  or  seventy  miles  of  Cape  Breton,  which  is  sub- 
stantially the  eastern  point  of  Nova  Scotia,  while  its  most 
eastern  projection.  Cape  Spear  is  but  1,640  miles  distance  from 
Ireland.  Thus  it  forms  as  it  were  a  stepping  stone  between  the 
Old  World  and  the  New.  In  regard  to  size  it  counts  tenth 
among  the  islands  of  the  globe.  Its  greatest  breadth  is  216 
miles,  and  its  greatest  length  about  the  same;  its  area  is 
42,000  square  miles.  It  is  almost  equal  to  the  Empire  State 
of  New  York;  twice  the  size  of  Nova  Scotia,  and  one-sixth 
larger  than  Ireland.  In  shape  it  is  roughly  triangular,  having 
a  wide  southern  base  between  Cape  Race  and  Cape  Ray,  and  a 
long  narrow  apex,  called  Petit  Nord,  towards  the  north. 

Three  large  peninsulas  project  from  the  main  body  of  the 
island.  The  largest  of  these,  the  peninsula  of  Avalon,  is  al- 
most severed  from  the  main  portion  of  the  island,  by  the  two 


20  NKWFOUNDLAND. 

large  bays  of  I'lacentia  and  Trinity,  which  are  separated  by  a 
narrow  isthmus,  in  one  place  but  three  miles  in  width.  The 
Avalon  peninsula  is  further  divided  by  the  two  bays  of  St. 
Mary's  and  Conception.  Owing  to  its  extensive  frontage  on  the 
Atlantic,  its  numerous  harbors,  ar:d  its  proximity  to  the  best 
fishing  grounds,  Avalon  is  the  moat  thickly  populated  and  com- 
mercially important  part  of  the  island.  The  northern  peninsula 
— called  Petit  Nord  by  the  French — runs  up  long  and  narrow 
almost  to  Labrador.  The  smallest  peninsula  of  the  three,  i)ro- 
jects  southerly  between  the  bays  of  Placentia  and  Fortune. 
There  is  also  a  small  peninsula  called  Port-au-Port,  on  the  west 
coast. 

The  first  sight  of  the  coasts  impresses  the  traveler  un- 
favorably. It  is  what  is  termed  « rock  bound,))  or  rather  we 
might  say  it  is  a  great  wall  of  rock,  now  shooting  up  into  peaks, 
now  breaking  into  fissures,  now  presenting  dark  frowning  cliffs, 
bold  promontories,  and  headlands  sculptured  into  grim  fantas- 
tic forms  by  frost,  storms,  and  blows  of  Atlantic  billows.  At 
intervals  these  rocky  walls  are  cleft  by  deep  bays  running  many 
miles  inland,  studded  with  verdant  islands  of  all  shapes  and 
sizes,  and  often  fringed  by  dark  green  forests.  These  great 
fiords,  strikingly  resembling  those  of  Norway,  are  scenes  of 
beauty  such  as  are  rarely  surpassed  in  the  most  favored  lands  of 
the  globe.  On  leaving  the  rugged  coast-line  we  find  the  outer 
interior  to  be  a  hilly  country  with  eminences  of  no  great  eleva- 
tion. The  inner  interior  is  a  elevated  undulating  plateau 
traversed  here  and  there  by  ranges  of  low  hills,  the  surface 
being  diversified  by  valleys,  woods,  countless  lakes  and  ponds, 
and  numerous  marshes,  which  are  generally  shallow  and  could 
easily  be  drained.  A  large  part  of  the  surface  of  the  island  is 
covered  with  these  lakes  and  lakelets,  abounding  in  trout  and 
other  fishes. 


Hon.  KdhtTl   liond,  1'reniii.T  and  C'nliiniul  Secreturv, 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


»3 


Pastoral  Scone. 


MOUNTAIN  AND  HILL  RANGES. 


All  the  great  hill  ranges  have  a  N.  N.  E.  and  S.  S.  W. 
trend,  and  all  the  other  great  physical  features  of  the  country, 
such  as  the  bays,  larger  lakes,  rivers  and  valleys  have  a  similar 
direction,  the  cause  of  this  conformation  being  doubtless 
glacial  action.  The  most  important  range  of  mountains  is  Long 
Range,  which  commences  at  Cape  Ray,  and  runs  in  a  continuous 
chain  in  a  northeasterly  direction  for  200  miles,  terminating  in 
the  Petit  Nord  peninsula.  The  Cape  Anguille  Range,  and  the 
Blomidons  are  also  on  the  west  coast;  and  the  Black  River, 
North  Harlock,  Sawyers  and  Chissel  Hills  on  the  east  side  of  the 
island.  The  Avalon  peninsula  is  traversed  by  an  eastern  and 
western  range.  Over  the  interior  are  distributed  a  number  of 
isolated  sharply  peaked  summits,  which  spring  abruptly  from 
the  central  plateau.  They  bear  the  local  name  of  «Tolts.)> 
Some  of  the  most  conspicuous  of  these  are  Hodge's  Hill  on  the 


94 


NEWFOUNDLAiMI). 


Exploits    (2.000    feet),    Mount   Peyton    (1,670   feet),   west   of 
(lander  Lake,  lioltster  House,  and  Mount  Mus^rave. 

RIVERS  AND  LAKES. 

The  three  largest  rivers  are  the  Exploits  (2(X)  miles  long), 
falling  into  Exploits  Hay;  the  Humber  (70  miles),  falling  into 
Bay  of  Islands,  and  the  <Iander  (100  miles).  There  are  numerous 
smaller  streams  entitled  to  rank  as  rivers. 

Grand  Lake  is  the  largest  in  the  island  (r)()  miles);  Red 
Indian  Lake  (137  miles),  and  (lander  Lake,  through  which  a 
river  of  the  same  name  flows  (83  miles).  The  scenery  of  these 
lakes  is  generally  very  fine.  The  forests  are  along  the  valleys 
traversed  by  the  various  rivers  and  streams. 


Hull.  \V.  H.  Horw'ood,  Minister  of  Justice. 


CHAPTHR  III. 

CLIMATE. 

Erroneous  ideas  regarding  the  climate  are  quite  as  prev- 
alent as  the  delusions  in  reference  to  the  soil  and  its  natural 
products.  The  bulk  of  outsiders  still  fancy  that  the  island  is 
enveloped  in  almost  perpetual  fogs  in  summer,  and  given  over 
to  intense  cold  and  a  succession  of  snow  storms  in  winter.  It 
is  true  that  it  partakes  of  the  general  character  of  the  North 
American  climate,  and  is  therefore  much  colder  than  lands  in 
the  same  latitude  in  the  Old  World,  but  in  the  American  sense 
of  the  term,  it  is  by  no  means  a  cold  country.  Winter  sets  in 
as  a  rule  in  the  beginning  of  December,  and  lasts  till  the  middle 
of  April.  During  this  time  a  snow-mantle  of  greater  or  less 
depth  usually  covers  the  ground;  but  winter  is  the  time  for 
social  enjoyments  of  all  kinds,  and  is  far  from  being  unpleasant. 
Springs  are  late  owing  to  the  Arctic  current,  but  when  warmth 
comes,  vegatation  is  very  rapid. 

Being  insular,  the  climate  is  variable  and  subject  to  sudden 
changes.  The  intense  summer  heats  of  the  United  States  and 
Canada,  and  the  fierce  colds  of  their  winters  are  alike  unknown. 
It  is  but  rarely  and  then  only  for  a  few  hours,  that  the  ther- 
mometer sinks  below  zero  (Fahr.)  in  winter;  and  in  summer  it 
is  but  occasionally  that  80°  are  reached.  That  the  climate  is 
salubrious  is  evidenced  by  the  robust,  healthy  api)earance  of  the 
people,  and  the  great  age  to  which  numbers  of  them  live.  The 
Arctic  current  washing  the  eastern  shores  shortens  the  summer. 
Fogs  are  confined  to  the  (Jreat  Banks,  and   to  the  south  and 


28  NEWFOUNDLAND. 

southeast  shores.  The  western  coast  has  a  much  finer  climate 
than  the  eastern,  and  in  the  s})ring  the  vegetation  is  generally 
a  month  in  advance  of  the  eastern.  Fogs  are  almost  unknown 
in  western  Newfoundland  and  in  the  interior.  The  summer 
though  short  is  generally  delightful.  The  heats  are  never  op- 
pressive and  the  nights  always  cool,  days  bright  and  balmy 
often  succeed  each  other  for  weeks  together.  Those  who  wish 
to  escape  from  the  relaxing  and  oppressive  heats  of  the  con- 
tinent will  find  an  agreeable  refuge  here.  September  and 
October  are  generally  i)leasant  months,  in  which  the  sportsman 
can  enjoy  himself  in  pursuit  of  caribou,  ptarmigan,  snipe, 
curlew,  etc.  Tornadoes  and  cyclones  are  unknown,  and  thunder 
storms  are  rare.  Usually  the  autumn  is  prolonged  into  Novem- 
ber, and  the  snow  seldom  covers  the  ground  permanently  till 
near  Christmas. 


% 

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CHAPTER  IV. 

SCENERY. 

Until  somewhat  recently  the  prevalent  idea  was  that  the 
interior  of  the  island  was  little  better  than  the  <((ireat  Dismal 
Swamp, »  full  of  bogs,  repulsive  rocks,  barren  wastes,  with  here 
and  there  a  few  patches  covered  with  a  stunted  forest  growth, 
and  the  whole  generally  shrouded  in  a  curtain  of  fog.  Fifty 
years  ago,  such  was  the  picture  of  the  island  as  it  presented 
itself  to  the  mind  of  outsiders.  Only  within  a  recent  period 
have  these  mistaken  notions  been  dispelled  and  the  reality 
made  known.  Now  that  the  island  has  been  opened  up  it  is 
found  that  it  contains  large  areas  of  fertile  land,  great  forest 
growths  along  its  valleys,  noble  mountain  and  hill  ranges,  and 
some  of  the  most  beautiful  and  enchanting  scenery  in  all  this 
beautiful  world.  The  consequence  is  that  every  year  witnesses 
an  increasing  number  of  visitors  from  the  outside  world — 
tourists  in  search  of  the  picturesque,  travelers,  explorers, 
health  seekers  and  sportsmen,  who  carry  back  with  them  glow- 
ing reports  of  this  « gem  of  the  western  world.»  Now  that  a 
trans-insular  railway,  with  several  branches,  belts  the  island, 
bringing  it  within  six  hours  steaming  of  the  neighboring  con- 
tinent; and  that  steamships  have  rendered  its  shores  accessible 
from  all  quarters,  an  increasing  throng  of  visitors,  especially 
from  the  United  States  and  Canada,  are  finding  their  way  to 
this  newly-foundland,  to  enjoy  its  unique  scenic  beauties,  and 
drink  in  its  health-giving  breezes,  laden  with  the  breath  of 
ocean.     No  traveler  or  tourist  ever  returns  disappointed,  but 


32  NEWFOUNDLAND. 

on  the  contrary  they  declare  that  the  half  had  not  been  told. 
A  favorite  travel-route,  now  that  the  new  railway  to  Port-aux- 
Basques  has  been  completed,  will  be  via  North  Sydney,  Cape 
Breton.  From  this  port,  as  will  be  shown  later  on,  the  splendid 
steamer  «  Bruce,))  fitted  up  with  every  comfort  and  luxury,  con- 
veys passengers  ninety-three  miles  across  Cabot  Strait  in  six 
hours,  and  lands  .hem  at  the  western  terminus  of  the  railway, 
Port-aux-Basques.  The  distance  from  this  point  to  St.  John's 
by  rail  is  548  miles.  The  railway  passes  through  the  best  part 
of  the  island,  and  by  it  the  finest  scenery,  the  best  sporting  and 
fishing  grounds  can  be  reached,  and  at  different  points  connec- 
tion can  be  made  with  steamers  plying  on  the  various  fiords 
where  some  of  the  grandest  scenery  is  to  be  found.  These 
bays  stretching  inland  from  fifty  to  ninety  miles,  exhibit  a 
wonderful  variety  of  views  along  the  great  arms  which 
project  in  all  directions,  and  are  the  paradise  of  artists.  Along 
their  shores,  the  lofty  cliffs  are  reflected  in  their  clear  bright 
waters,  and  countless  islands,  sometimes  of  extraordinary 
beauty,  stud  their  bosoms.  They  bear  a  striking  resemblance 
to  the  fiords  of  Norway,  and  their  scenery  is  often  not  less 
magnificent.  Indeed,  both  countries  present  so  many  points  of 
resemblance  that  Newfoundland  has  been  justly  named  « the 
Norway  of  the  New  World.))  Newfoundland,  like  Norway,  has 
a  short  but  beautiful  summer,  bright  skies,  exhilarating  atmos- 
phere, a  quaint  people  abundant  in  insular  peculiarities  and 
primitive  characteristics,  hidden  away  in  nooks  remote  from  all 
the  outer  world,  worthy  of  the  study  of  inquiring  travelers. 
Both  countries  are  pierced  by  great  watery  ravines  presenting 
scenes  of  rare  beauty.  Norway  was  once  as  little  known  as 
Newfoundland  and  its  beauties  as  little  appreciated;  now  it  is 
the  resort  each  summer,  of  numerous  travelers  from  all  parts 
of  the  world,  and   by  its   fine  system  of  roads,  it  has  been 


Hon.  !•:.   1',  .Morris,  n,  C. 
LatL-  Liiider  Tliird  I'arty, Legislative  Assembly. 


NEWFOUNDLAND.  35 

rendered  readily  accessible.  The  turn  of  the  «New  World 
Norway »  has  come  at  length. 

As  a  sanitarium,  or  health  resort,  Newfoundland  is  likely 
to  take  a  high  place,  when  once  proper  accommodations  for 
travelers  and  invalids  are  provided,  and  for  this,  arrangements 
are  now  in  progress.  There  is  something  peculiarly  balmy, 
soothing  and  yet  invigorating  in  the  summer  breezes,  whether 
on  sea  or  land,  cooling  the  fevered  brain  and  smoothing  the 
wrinkled  brow  of  care.  After  a  few  weeks  near  the  coast,  in- 
haling the  salt  sea  breezes  and  exposed  to  the  life-giving  rays 
of  the  sun,  the  invalid  who  has  come  with  shattered  nerves 
and  fluttering  pulse  returns  with  a  new  supply  of  iron  in  his 
blood,  and  a  sense  of  well  being  which  makes  it  a  luxury  to 
live.  To  escape  from  the  sweltering  summer  heats  of  New 
York,  Boston,  C'hicago  or  Montreal,  and  to  breathe  the  cool 
pure  air  of  Terra  Nova;  to  climb  its  rocky  heights,  or  wander 
over  its  plains  and  «  barrens »  bright  with  wild  flowers;  to  ])ly 
the  angler's  rod  or  bend  the  oar  in  the  clear  water  of  its  count- 
less lakes,  or  to  explore  one  of  the  great  fiords  amid  the  wild- 
est and  grandest  scenery  -  all  this  is  to  the  smoke-dried  in- 
habitant of  one  of  the  great  cities,  like  passing  into  a  new  and 
better  state  of  existence,  and  enjoying  for  a  time  a  purer  and 
better  life. 

The  opinion  of  two  distinguished  Americans,  who  have 
both  traveled  very  widely,  may  be  quoted  in  regard  to  the 
scenery.  Professor  Albert  S,  Bickmore,  of  the  American 
Museum  of  Natural  History,  New  York,  after  a  tour  in  New- 
foundland, wrote :  « In  regard  to  beauty  and  grandeur  of 
scenery,  health-giving  climate  and  general  attractiveness  for 
those  whose  energies  have  been  lowered  by  city  life,  and  who 
seek  to  recuperate,  few  countries  could  surpass  Newfoundland. 
If  it  were  better  known  hundreds  of  Americans  would  every 


36  NEWFOUNDLAND. 

year  find  their  way  here.  In  addition  to  scenery  and  pure  air, 
you  have  salmon  and  trout  fishing  to  an  unlimited  extent;  and 
in  the  fall  snipe,  curlew  and  ptarmigan  shooting  as  well  as  deer 
stalking,  boating  on  the  lakes,  driving  or  walking  over  its 
breezy  hills;  picnicing  in  such  places  near  St.  John's  as  Petty 
Harbor,  Middle  ('ove  or  Topsail  ;  sketching  or  photographing 
your  rare  scenery,  drinking  in  the  oxygen  of  an  atmosphere 
which  at  every  breath  quickens  the  pulse  and  puts  color  in  the 
cheek  what  more  could  the  heart  of  man  or  woman  tourist 
ask  for? » 

Professor  Hyatt,  of  Boston,  one  of  the  moat  eminent 
scientific  men  of  the  United  States,  spent  a  summer  on  the  west 
coast,  in  geological  explorations.  He  wrote  as  follows  regard- 
ing the  scenery  :  «The  weather  favored  us  while  in  Newfound- 
land. We  were  not  detained  by  fogs  and  had  very  few  adverse 
winds.  The  scenery  was  superb,  and  has  made  all  other 
countries  we  have  passed  through  since,  seem  tame  and  un- 
picturesque,  except  indeed  the  steep  mountain  cliffs  of  ('ape 
North,  and  the  vicinity  in  Cape  P)reton.  I  never  expect  to  get 
so  much  pleasure  combined  with  intellectual  profit  out  of  any 
future  trip.  Port-au-Port  is  a  paradise  for  the  artist  as  well 
as  for  the  geologist;  and  the  same  may  be  said  of  Bonne  P)ay 
and  Bay  of  Islands.  *  *  *  *  jj^^  climate,  vegetation  and 
lovely  harbors  make  the  trip  along  this  part  of  the  route  a 
series  of  delightful  surprises.)*  The  Professor  took  photo- 
graphic views  of  the  most  striking  scenery  as  they  passed 
along  the  coast,  and  obtained  a  series  of  most  beautifml 
pictures  of  scenes  which  were  never  before  photographed. 


Hon.  I..  ()'|{.  iMirlonK. 


Hull.     (ifo.     KlldWlilli^. 


CHAPTER  V. 

FISHERIES. 

The  fisheries  of  Newfoundland  constitute  the  staple  indus- 
try of  the  country.  The  gathering  in  of  the  great  sea  harvest 
has  been  and  will  long  continue  to  be  the  main  employment  of 
the  people.  In  recent  years  other  industries  have  been  intro- 
duced and  will  continue  to  expand;  but  by  fishing  the  bulk  of 
the  people  have  still  to  earn  their  daily  bread.  On  the  exports 
of  fishery  product,  the  trade  of  the  country  mainly  depends, 
and  these  constitute  nearly  four- fifths  of  the  annual  exports. 
Out  of  a  population  of  210,000,  about  56,000  are  engaged  in 
catching  and  curing  fish,  and  12,000  in  all  other  occupations. 
The  mean  annual  value  of  the  fishing  exports,  in  recent  years, 
has  been  about  $6,600,000.  To  this,  however,  must  be  added 
the  value  of  the  fish  consumed  by  the  people  in  the  country, 
estimated  at  $400,000,  so  that  the  average  annual  value  of  the 
fisheries  of  the  country  is  about  $7,000,000.  The  total  value 
of  Canadian  fisheries,  including  the  salt  water,  lake  and  river 
fisheries,  is  about  $19,000,000.  The  annual  value  of  Norwegian 
fisheries  is  about  the  same  as  that  of  Newfoundland;  of  United 
States  fisheries,  $14,000,000.  The  value  of  the  whole  British 
American  fisheries,  including  Newfoundland,  is  over  $25,000,- 
000.     British  European  fisheries  are  estimated  at  $36,000,000. 

Cold  water  seas  are  essential  to  the  life  of  the  commercial 
food  fishes.  In  the  tropical  seas,  or  even  the  warm  waters  of 
the  (iulf  Stream,  they  could  not  exist  any  more  than  the  Arctic 
hare  could  thrive  in  the  Torrid  Zone. 


•fl 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


4? 


On  the  Hunibef. 

washes  the  coasts  of  Labrador,  Newfoundland,  Canachi  and  i)art 
of  the  United  States,  chilling  the  atmosphere  and  bearing  on  its 
bosom  huge  ice-argosies,  is  the  source  of  the  vast  fish-wealth 
which  has  been  drawn  on  for  ages  and  which  jjromises  to  con- 
tinue for  ages  to  come.  Wanting  this  cold  river  in  the  ocean, 
the  cod,  seals,  herrings,  mackerel,  halibut,  hake,  etc.,  which 
now  crowd  the  northern  seas,  would  be  entirely  absent. 

Hut  this  cold  current  also  brings  with  it  the  food  on  which 
these  fishes  thrive,  an<l  which  can  never  be  exhausted.  The  ice- 
laden  current  from  Haflin's  IJay  brings  with  it  those  forms  of 
marine  life,  from  the  diatom  to  the  minute  crustacean,  to  the 
crab  and  prawn,  together  with  the  molluscous  animals,  and  star- 
fish in  profusiim.  The  « slime-food, »  as  it  is  called,  sustains  the 
minute  crustaceans,  and  these,  in  turn,  furnish  food  for  the 
herring,  which  are  abundant  on  the  shores,  in  the  bays,  and 


44 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


especially  on  the  (Jreat  lianks.  The  herring,  with  multitudes 
of  s(iuid,  cuplin,  etc.,  are  devoured  by  the  cod.  When  the  cod 
is  assimilated  by  man,  the  great  circle  of  nature  is  complete. 
As  long  as  the  Arctic  current  flows  the  cod  fishery  of  New- 
foundland is  assured. 

(^OD  FISHERY. 
In  Newfoundland  by  far  the  most  important  fishery  is  that 
of  the  cod.  The  ])roduct  of  this  fishery  constitute  nearly  three- 
fourths  of  the  whole  fishery  ])roducts  of  the  cobmy.  It  is  the 
largest  cod  fishery  in  the  world.  The  cod  ex})orts  average 
1,350,000  (juintals,  of  112  pounds  each,  per  annum.  The  cod 
are  taken  on  the  shores  of  the  island,  on  the  (Ireat  Banks,  and 
on  the  coast  of  Labi'ador.  About  a  fourth  of  the  whole  cod 
export  is  taken  on  Labrador.  The  Bank  fishery  is  now  mainly 
carried  on  by  the  French  from  St.  Pierre,  and  the  Americans 
from    (Jloucester,  liostim    and   other   fishing   centres.     Only  a 


( )n  the  lliiml)t.r    l<"liit  liay,  Krook  Hay,  St.  (reor^e. 


On  the  Humber. 


46  NEWFOUNDLAND. 

small  number,  comparatively  of  Newfoundland  vessels,  take 
part  in  the  Bank  fishery.  In  1896  there  were  employed  in  this 
fishery  forty-eight  vessels,  tonnage  2,652,  and  616  men. 

Although,  in  many  localities,  there  have  been  in  recent 
years,  symptoms  of  declining  cod  fisheries,  such  as  give  grave 
reason  for  anxiety,  yet  the  natural  conditions  are  such  that  the 
sea  harvest  can  never  entirely  fail,  though  it  varies  greatly, 
being  dependent  on  winds  and  weather.  The  c&d  is  a  local  fish, 
and  in  its  migrations  passes  from  the  deep  waters  where  it 
winters,  to  the  shallower  and  warmer  waters  near  the  shore 
for  spawning  purposes.  The  danger  lies  in  over-fishing  any 
locality  and  taking  immature  fish  before  they  have  reached  the 
reproductive  stage.  Implements  of  a  deadly  and  destructive 
nature  are  too  often  used,  such  as  bultows,  and  also  nets  with 
small  meshes  which  destroy  the  young  fish.  Close  seasons  also 
are  not  carefully  observed.  All  these  injure  the  cod  fishing,  so 
that  now,  although  many  more  than  formerly  are  engaged  in  it, 
the  catch  is  stationary  or  declining. 

Until  1890  there  were  no  properly  enforced  rules  and 
regulations  of  the  fisheries,  but  at  that  date  the  government 
and  people  woke  up  to  the  necessity  of  regulating  and  protect- 
ing them.  A  Fisheries  Department  was  organized  and  the 
services  of  an  able  scientific  superintendent  of  fisheries  was 
secured.  Artificial  propagation  of  cod  and  lobsters  was  com- 
menced and  carried  on  upon  a  large  scale;  proper  rules  were 
drawn  up  and  enforced.  The  result  has  been  highly  beneficial, 
and  It  may  be  reasonably  hoped  that  under  this  more  enlightened 
plan,  the  decline  in  the  fisheries  will  be  arrested  and  a  gradual 
restoration  to  former  productiveness  will  be  secured.  With  a 
vigilant  and  skillful  supervision  and  a  greater  care  in  curing, 
these  fisheries  have  a  brighter  future  before  them  and  will 
become  increasingly  a  source  of  wealth  to  the  country.    The 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


47 


On  the  Exploits— Little  River.  West  Coast. 

demand  for  codfish  is  not  likely  to  fall  off.  (-atholic  countries 
alone,  in  connection  with  the  season  of  Lent,  and  the  weekly 
fast  on  Friday's,  s])end  annually  more  than  $8,000,000  in  the 
purchase  of  Newfoundland  codfish.  Tnder  the  new  and 
improved  methods  of  curing  and  packing,  the  use  of  codfish  is 
extending.  The  i)reparati(m  known  as  "boneless  codfish,*)  in 
which,  after  the  removal  of  bones,  skin,  etc.,  the  fish  is  divided 
into  strips  and  packed  into  neat  boxes,  has  met  with  wide 
appreciation.  A  more  recent  method,  and  (me  that  promises  to 
secure  a  wide  success,  is  that  of  removing  all  the  bones  of  the 
dried  codfish  and  grinding  the  fish  into  a  fine  meal  which  is  put 
up  in  tin  cases  containing  from  one  to  three  pounds  each. 
Labels  on  the  cases  contain  directions  for  cooking.  The  meal 
will  keep  in  any  climate  and  is  easily  cooked.  It  is  most 
palatable  and  much  more  economical  than  the  old  method  of 
preparing  dried  cod  for  the  table. 

Every  portion  of  the  codfish  is  now  turned  to  economic 
account.  The  liver  yields  oil  having  valuable  medicinal  proper- 
ties.    The  finest  glue  is  made  from  the  skin  of  the  codfish,  and 


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from  the  bones  and  head  a  valuable  fertilizer  is  produced. 
Railways,  in  cod-consuming  countries,  such  as  Brazil,  Spain  and 
Mediterranean  countries,  by  cheapening  its  transport  into  their 
interior  are  increasing  its  consumption.  To  the  inhabitants  of 
warm  countries  the  dried  cod  furnishes  an  article  of  food  which 
they  regard  as  almost  indispensable.  Thus  a  cod-producing 
country  like  Newfoundland  possesses  in  this  industry  a  source 
of  prosperity  that  can  never  fail,  and  which  the  fluctuation  of 
trade  or  the  caprice  of  fashion  cannot  seriously  affect.  The 
best  policy  for  Newfoundland  is  to  cherish  and  develop  her  cod 
fishery,  for  in  it  her  peoj)le  have  a  reliable  mainstay.  An 
experiment  is  soon  to  be  tried  on  a  large  scale  by  which  the 
cold  storage  system  is  to  be  used  in  conveying  the  fish  fresh 
to  market.     Time   alone  will   tell   whether   this   method    will 


Salmon  Fisherman's  Camp. 


so  NEWFOUNDLAND. 

achieve  success;  })ut  sliould  it  do  so  the  value  of  the  fisheries 
will  he  greatly  enhanced. 

SEAL  FISHERY. 

Next  to  the  cod  fishery  the  most  valuable  is  that  of  the 
seal.  While  the  cod  fishery  has  been  prosecuted  for  400  years 
the  seal  is  not  more  than  100  years  old.  The  attention  of  the 
people  was  so  absorbed  in  the  pursuit  of  the  cod  in  earlier 
years  that  they  neglected  the  oleaginous  treasures  which  the 
great  ice  fields,  floating  south,  brought  within   their  reach. 

It  was  not  until  the  beginning  of  the  nineteenth  century 
that  the  seal  hunters  began  to  force  their  way  through  the 
crystal  ramparts  by  which  Nature  had  so  long  protected  these 
helpless  innocents.  In  fact,  the  value  of  the  seal  for  human 
uses,  and  the  right  way  of  capturing  it  in  these  regions  were 
slowly  learned.  At  first  seals  were  taken  in  nets,  which  were 
placed  between  the  shore  and  some  island  or  rock  at  no  great 
distance.  In  their  migratory  movements  in  the  early  part  of 
winter  the  seals  move  south  along  the  shore,  and  by  the  nets 
set  in  these  narrow  passages  a  certain  number  were  captured. 
The  next  step  was  shooting  the  old  seals  from  large  boats  amid 
the  ice-floes.  These  boats  left  port  about  the  middle  of  April, 
after  the  ice  had  broken  up,  and  as  at  that  date  the  young 
seals  had  left  their  icy  cradles  and  taken  to  the  water,  only 
a  few  of  the  old  seals  could  be  reached  by  the  guns  of  the 
hunters. 

The  next  step  was  taken  by  fitting  out  small  schooners  of 
from  thirty  to  fifty  tons  carrying  from  twelve  to  eighteen  men. 
The  vessels  were  strongly  built  and  fitted  to  encounter  ice. 
At  first  they  did  not  leave  port  till  March  21st,  but  afterwards 
March  1st  became  the  day  for  starting  on  the  hunt.  The  new 
industry  was  found   to  be   so  remunerative   that  it   rapidly 


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The  Sentinel,  Notre  Dame  Hay. 


52  NKWFOIINDLAND. 

expanded,  till  some  400  vessels  carrying  13,000  men  were 
engaged  in  it,  and  the  annual  catch  sometimes  exceeded  half 
a  million  seals.  Then  came  a  decline,  and  in  18(18  all-conquering 
steam  entered  the  field  and  the  first  steamer  took  part  in  the 
fishery.  The  advantages  of  steamers  were  speedily  felt,  and 
gradually  sailing  vessels  were  superseded,  being  unable  to 
compete  with  steamers.  In  1882  there  were  twenty-five 
large  steamers  employed  in  the  fishery,  having  a  tonnage  of  300 
to  500  tons  each.  Their  number  has  declined,  however,  and 
now  about  twenty  steamers  are  employed,  the  sailing 
schooners  being  reduced  to  about  sixty  The  largest  load  of 
seals  ever  brought  in  was  by  the  « Neptune,))  Captain  Blandford, 
whose  cargo  numbered  42,000  seals,  value  $103,750. 

The  seal  fishery  is  very  precarious,  being  dependent  on  the 
winds  and  waves  and  the  condition  and  movements  of  the 
great  ice  fields.  Of  late  years  the  catch  has  declined  and  now 
ranges  from  250,000  to  350,000  per  annum.  Occasionally  it 
falls  below  200,000.  The  value  is  about  two  dollars  per  seal. 
Seal  oil  of  late  years  has  declined  in  price  owing  to  the  use  of 
crude  petroleum  and  some  kinds  of  vegetable  oils  in  manufac- 
tures in  which  seal  oil  was  once  exclusively  used.  The  price 
of  seal  skins  has,  however,  advanced. 

There  is  no  doubt  the  introduction  of  steam  has  been 
injurious  to  the  interests  of  the  seal  hunters.  As  in  all  similar 
cases  the  introduction  of  steam-driven  machinery  tends  to 
eliminate  human  hands.  The  work  is  now  done  by  fewer 
men  than  formerly,  not  more  than  half  the  number  of  hands 
being  employed,  and  every  year  large  numbers  of  men  are 
unable  to  obtain  berths  on  board  the  steamers.  The  cost  of 
fitting  out  a  sealing  steamer  is  great,  so  that  it  may  be  doubted 
whether,  one  year  with  another,  capitalists  find  it  a  very  profit- 
able investment.     The  prizes,  however,  are  so  valuable  that  in 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


5.1 


HerririK'  Fishing,'. 

spite  of  failures  and  disappointments  the  seal  fishery  will  con- 
tinue to  attract  enterprising  capitalists.  The  losses  of  one  or 
two  seasons  are  expected  to  be  made  good  by  the  success  of  a 
third.  Strict  rules  and  regulations  now  safeguard  the  fishery, 
and  there  is  no  reasoit  why  it  should  not  long  continue  to  be  a 
source  of  wealth  to  the  country.  Its  value  may  now  be  esti- 
mated at  from  half  a  million  to  three-quarters  of  a  million 
dollars  annually. 

On  the  floating  fields  of  Arctic  ice,  borne  on  the  bosom 
of  the  Arctic  current,  the  seals  bring  forth  their  young  about 
February  25th.  In  four  or  five  weeks  these  « white  coats,>»  as 
the  young  are  called,  are  in  the  best  condition  for  being  taken 
as  their  fat  then  yields  the  finest  oil.  The  daring  hunters  dash 
in  among  these  ice  masses  in  their  vessels,  and  when  the  seal 


54 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


herd  is  struck  they  leap  upon  the  ice,  kill  the  young  seals  in 
their  helpless  condition  by  a  blow  on  the  nose,  then  with  their 
sharp  knives  detach  the  skins  with  the  adhering  fat  from  the 
carcass,  which  is  left  on  the  ice,  while  the  « pelts »  are  dragged 
over  the  ice  to  the  ship  and  carried  to  port  where  the  fat  is 
manufactui'jd  into  oil  and  the  skins  are  salted  and  exported. 

HERRlNd  FISHERY. 
Had  the  herring  fishery  been  prosecuted  with  vigor  and 
skill  it  would  have  been  second  only  to  the  cod  fishery.  Un- 
fortunately it  h;>s  been  neglected.  Little  care  was  bestowed  on 
the  packing  or  cure,  so  that  the  article  lost  character  in  the 
foreign  :i..  /'fet  and  depreciated  in  value.  The  export  of  late 
years  has  not  exceeded  $250,000  in  value,  whereas,  according 
to  the  opinion  of  eminent  experts,  it  rnigh^  be  made  to  yield 


Siiltiiiin  I'^isliinv;,  Manx's  Brook. 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


55 


$3,000,000  annually.  The  quality  of  the  herring  is  not  sur- 
passed by  that  of  any  other  country,  and  they  appear  in  enor- 
mous numbers.  The  chief  seats  of  the  herring  fishery  are 
Fortune  Ray,  Placentia,  St.  (ieorge's  and  I)ay  of  Islands;  while 
on  the  coast  of  Labrador  the  finest  herring  are  taken.  During 
the  last  few  years  the  Labrador  herring  fishery  has  been  un- 
remunerative,  the  herring  have  deserted  their  usual  places  of 
resort.  Fortune  and  Placentia  l>ays  are  the  seats  of  a  pro- 
ductive winter  herring  fishery,  commencing  in  the  end  of 
November.  The  herring  are  generally  frozen  and  conveyed  to 
Boston  or  (Gloucester.  St.  (George's  is  a  spring  herring  fishery, 
a  small  quantity  being  also  taken  in  August  and  September. 
The  Pay  of  Islands  fishery  is  the  most  valuable  next  to  Labra- 
dor.    The  fish  there  are  the   Hank  or  Labrador  herring  and  of 


■ 

k 

Jj'  i^'^r 

.y 

4 

^^m 

^■r       ^ 

■■FsIL  fKtirJ^^J^HBBHH^Bfl 

^■^B^d^^r    ^    «>  ;  '    '- '     - 

-  1 

1 

f 

■.•*.*-■ ',*■!?"«>. 

n,      ..    ■:                 ■         "  .             ■■'■    •'  .    ^ 

n 

/•■It 

•:   >•  •- 

.-■1     .."•..  ■-■ '  ■■■ 

':m 

Near   Deer  l.iikt.-. 


Salmon  from  Harry's  Brook. 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


Exploits  liiver. 

the  finest  quality.  lionne  I)ay  herring  are  equally  good.  The 
Department  of  Fisheries  have  been  giving  much  attention  to 
the  herring  fishery  with  a  view  to  its  resuscitation  and  im- 
provement. Proper  regulations  have  been  enforced  and 
valuable  information  diffused  with  good  effect. 

SALMON  FISHP]RY. 
The  export  of  preserved  salmon  is  comparatively  small, 
seldom  exceeding  in  value  $100,000  per  annum.  It  is  either 
pickled  or  put  in  hermetically  sealed  tins.  The  quality  cannot 
be  surpassed.  It  is  taken  for  the  most  part  in  nets  in  the 
coves  and  bays,  and  in  the  estuaries  of  the  rivers.  The  season 
for  taking  it  is  brief,  not  exceeding  six  or  seven  weeks,  and 
commences  about  the  middle  of  May.  The  cause  of  the  decline 
in  the  salmon  fishery  has  been  the  reckless  and  destructive 
practices  in  connection  with  it,  which  have  gone  on  unchecked 


58 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


till  recently.  Human  ignorance  and  greed  of  immediate  gain 
have  wasted  and  partially  destroyed  what  might  be,  at  this 
time,  one  of  the  most  valuable  resources  of  the  colony. 

« P)arring »  or  closing  the  mouths  of  rivers  with  nets  drawn 
across,  at  a  time  when  the  salmon  are  ascending  to  spawn; 
constructing  weirs,  traps  and  dams  ;  sweeping  the  pools  in  the 
rivers  with  seine-nets  ;  night  spearing,  and  to  crown  all  the 
])ollution  of  the  rivers  with  saw-dust  from  lumbering  mills,  have 
been  carried  on  for  many  years  by  ignorant  and  reckless  per- 
sons, till  at  present  in  many  streams  the  salmon  are  almost  ex- 
terminated, and  in  others  only  grilse  of  four  or  live  pounds 
weight  are  found.  The  Department  of  Fisheries  are  now  taking 
stringent  measures  for  the  guardianship  of  the  rivers.  Wardens 
patrol  the  streams  during  the  season  to  prevent  obstructions 
being  placed  in  them,  and  to  put  down  unlawful  modes  of  fish- 
ing. IJy  enforcing  these  regulations  there  can  be  little  doubt 
that  these  once  s])lendid  salmon  rivers  will  be  restored  to  their 
former  productiveness. 


Willi  IT  Sieiio,  ATamu'ls, 


Sleadv  Hronk  Falls,  Hnniber  River,  near  Deer  Lake. 


6o 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


Herring  Neck,  Noire  Dame  May. 

LOBSTER  FISHERY. 

The  lobster  fishery  is  of  comparatively  recent  origin  and 
dates  from  1873,  when  the  first  tinning  was  done.  It  has  re- 
ceived a  rapid  expansion,  especially  during  the  last  ten  years. 
It  gives  employment  now  to  about  r),000  persons;  and  the  value 
of  the  export  of  lobsters  is  at  present  from  $600,000  to 
$700,000  per  annum.  The  licensed  lobster  factories  number 
700  to  800.     The  lobsters  are  packed  in  hermetically  sealed  tins. 

In  Newfoundland,  as  in  all  lobster  producing  countries, 
there  is  a  great  danger  of  these  valuable  crustaceans  being  ex- 
terminated or  the  fishery  being  rendered  unremunerative. 
Over  fishing  and  the  capturing  of  immature  lobsters  are  the 
causes  of  the  decline.  Stringent  rules  are  now  enforced,  and 
in  addition,  the  Department  of  Fisheries  are  carrying  on  an  ex- 
tensive system  of  artificial  propagation  of  lobsters  in  each  of 
the  large  bays,  with  the  view  of  counteracting  the  destruction 


NKWFOIJNDLANI). 


6 1 


Hi)nne  Hay. 


that  is  now  going  on  and  restoring  exhausted  waters.  This  is 
done  by  means  of  floating  incubators  at  the  different  factories. 
The  number  of  lobster  ova  hatched  by  these  incubators  has 
been  from  400,000,000  to  500,000,000  annually.  The  results 
hitherto  have  been  very  encouraging;  but  time  will  be  required 
to  determine  the  value  of  the  process,  as  the  growth  of  the 
lobster  is  slow,  five  to  seven  years  being  required  for  its 
maturity.  The  floating  incubators  are  inexpensive  and  easily 
worked.  It  is  noteworthy  that  the  lobsters  are  hatched  from 
ova  collected  at  the  various  lobster  factories  where  they  would 
otherwise  have  been  destroyed.  The  precious  life-germs  are 
saved,  brought  to  life  and  after  a  time  liberated  in  the  waters. 
The  invention  is  of  immense  value  not  only  to  Newfoundland, 
but  to  all  lobster-producing  countries. 


-*<'■'■ 

*      .'■) 

|^^Br>'i>ir^ 

• 
> 

kk. 

Mountain  Casciidc. 


CHAPTHR  VI. 

AGRKUILTURAL  (CAPABILITIES. 

To  many  it  will  be  a  surprise  to  find  Newfoundland  spoken 
of  as  an  agricultural  country.  The  old  idea,  still  too  prevalent, 
was  that  the  island  was  a  dismal  fog-enveloped  country  whose 
savage  climate  and  poor  soil  precluded  all  attempts  at  agricul- 
ture. This  is  far  from  being  in  accordance  with  ascertained 
facts.  It  is  quite  true  that  there  are  wide  tracts  in  the  island, 
irreclaimably  barren;  others  unfit  for  arable  purposes,  though 
excellent  for  grazing;  and  others  covered  with  marshes  (most 
of   them   reclaimable),   and   what  the   people   call  «barrens.» 


Fishinji,  Harry's  Brook. 


(,4 


NKWFOUNDLAND. 


litikes  and  ponds  occupy  more  than  a  fourth  of  the  entire  sur- 
face. But  the  same  holds  good,  more  or  less,  of  the  United 
States  and  ( 'anada  where  there  are  vast  areas  hopelessly  barren 
and  that  would  never  repay  cultivation.  Still,  though  New- 
foundland can  never  become  a  great  agricultural  country,  it 
contains  very  large  areas  of  good  soil  capable  of  sustaining  in 
comfort  a  considerable  agricultural  population. 

These   fertile   lands   lie   in   belts,  and   mainly   along  the 
valleys   through   which   the   principal   rivers  run,  around   the 


Little  River. 

heads  of  the  great  bays,  and  the  margins  of  the  smaller 
streams.  In  the  aggregate,  these  comprise  a  very  fair  pro- 
portion of  the  whole  land  area  of  the  island.  If  we  take  the 
whole  area  to  be  42,000  square  miles,  and  deduct  from  this 
one-third  for  lakes  and  ponds  we  have  28,000  square  miles,  of 
which  fully  a  fourth  or  7,000  square  miles,  or  4,480,000  acres 
are  available  more  or  less  as  arable  land  or  for  grazing  pur- 
poses, and  are  capable  of  sustaining  a  large  number  of  people. 


NKWFOUNDLANI). 


65 


When  we  add  to  this  the  lumbering  and  mining  resources,  which 
will  be  described  presently,  it  is  evident  that  the  interior  can 
support  in  comfort  a  large  t)opulation  engaged  in  farming, 
lumbering  and  working  the  mines  of  copper,  iron,  coal,  etc. 
These  are  no  random  assertions  of  enthusiastic  optimists  ; 
they  are  borne  out  by  the  reports  of  the  (Geological  Survey 
conducted  by  scientific  men,  who  are  thoroughly  trustworthy, 
by  the  reports  of  the  government  surveyors,  and  by  the 
accounts  given  by  residents,  intelligent  travelers,  and  others 
who  have  visited  various  sections  of  the  island. 

Western  Newfoundland,  in  an  agricultural  point  of  view, 
is  by  far  the  most  important,  having  in  addition  to  a  large  ex- 
tent of  fertile  soil,  valuable  forests,  coal  fields,  gypsum  and 
limestone  beds  as  well  as  mineral  deposits.  At  Port-au-I'ort, 
petroleum  has  recently  been  discovered  and  asbestos  in  many 


On  the  Humber,  "Devil's  Dancins  Point." 


66  NEWFOUNDLAND. 

localities.  It  is  the  carboniferous  section  of  the  country,  and 
the  rocks  of  this  formation  always  underlie  good  soil.  The 
climate  is  greatly  superior  to  that  of  the  eastern  or  southern 
shores,  being  out  of  the  range  of  fogs,  and  of  the  chilling  in- 
fluence of  the  Arctic  current.  Now  that  it  is  traversed  by  the 
railway,  its  great  resources  will  readily  admit  of  development, 
being  easy  of  access  from  both  east  and  west.  Here  are  the 
Codroy  valleys,  the  garden  of  the  country,  the  valleys  around 
Bay  St.  (ieorge,  Bay  of  Islands  and  fine  Humber  valley  and 
Bonne  Bay  with  its  magnificent  scenery. 

The  (;odroy  valleys  are  about  forty  miles  in  length  with  a 
width  of  ten  to  twelve  miles,  and  an  area  of  56,861^  acres,  most 
of  it  available  for  agricultural  purposes  or  for  stock  raising. 
There  are  many  miles  of  good  « intervale »  land  along  the  river, 
famous  for  its  fertility.  The  region  around  St.  (Jeorge's  Bay 
is  destined  to  become  the  seat  of  a  large  agricultural  popula- 
tion. The  south  side  of  the  bay  has  been  laid  out  in  ten 
townships  containing  340  square  miles,  of  which  it  was  cal- 
culated 220  were  capable  of  a  high  degree  of  cultivation.  The 
geological  formation  is  chiefly  carboniferous,  which  means  that 
the  soil  is  the  best  in  the  country.  The  district  is  well  watered. 
The  rivers,  Crabb,  Fishels,  Barachois,  Robinson's  and  Flat  Bay 
ill  flow  west  into  St.  George's  Bay.  Though  shallow  they  are 
smooth  flowing  and  well  stocked  with  fish.  They  all  run 
through  good  land  which  is  covered  with  large  timber,  princi- 
pally birch,  spruce,  fir  and  poplar.  Crabb's  River  region  is 
especially  fine.  It  is  the  northern  boundary  of  a  settlement  of 
Cape  Breton  Scotchmen,  who  have  emigrated  to  the  coast 
between  it  and  the  Anguille  Range  of  mountains  during  the 
last  twenty-five  years.  These  Scotch  people  are  very  thrifty 
and  have  here  carved  out  comfortable  homes  for  themselves. 
North   of  them,   and   extending  to  the  Barachois  is  a  large 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


f>7 


settlement  of  Enjjjliahmen,  who  came  chietly  from  the  south 
coast  of  the  island,  and  are  also  fairly  prosperous.  On  Riviere 
Blanche,  a  river  falling  into  St.  (leorge's  I'ay  near  Indian  Head, 
there  is  a  block  of  rich  Hat  land  containing  about  22,400  acres. 

The  peninsula  of  l'ort-au-1'ort  gives  indicaticms  of  mineral 
deposits  of  a  most  promising  character.  Lead,  copper, 
asbestos,  chrome  iron  and  lately  petroleum  are  found  here.  It 
contains  abort  100  square  miles  of  land  available  for  agricul- 
tural purposes.  Here  too  is  the  greatest  coal  field  in  the 
island,  ten  miles  by  twenty  in  extent. 

PMfty  miles  north  of  St.  (Jeorge's  the  Hay  of  Islands  opens, 
famous  for  its  magnificent  scenery.  In  its  lands,  timber  and 
mineral  wealth,  it  is  second  only  to  St.  (leorge's  Bay.  It  has 
several  arms,  the  principal  being  named  Humber  Sound,  twenty- 
eight  miles  in  length,  receiving  at  its  head  the  Humber  River, 


Descending  Rapids,  Humber  River. 


A  Hit  of  the  Railway  Track  near  Deer  Lake. 


NEWFOUNDLAND.  69 

the  second  largest  in  the  island.  This  river  enters  the  sound 
through  a  narrow  gorge  nearly  three  miles  in  length,  shut  in 
by  precipitous  rocks,  which  shoot  up  several  hundred  feet  per- 
pendicularly and  present  scenes  of  marvellous  grandeur.  At 
the  termination  of  this  gorge  the  Humber  River  widens,  the 
hills  recede  and  the  stream  Hows  through  a  valley  from  three 
to  seven  miles  wide,  till  the  lower  end  of  Deer  Lake  is  reached, 
twelve  miles  from  the  sound.  Around  it,  especially  to  the 
eastward  and  northward,  is  a  fine  expanse  of  fiat  rolling 
country  stretching  away  in  the  former  direction  towards  Grand 
Lake.  It  is  estimated  that  the  Humber  Valley  contains  800 
square  miles,  a  fair  proportion  of  which  is  cultivable  land. 

From  the  Humber  district  to  Hall's  Bay,  an  arm  of  Notre 
Dame  Bay,  on  the  northeastern  coast,  a  level  plain  extends 
across  the  island.  A  chain  of  small  lakes,  connected  by 
rivers,  extends  the  greater  part  of  the  distance,  so  that  it  is 
easy  to  travel  by  boating  from  (Irand  Lake  to  Halls'  l)ay,  with 
only  two  short  portages.  It  has  been  reported  by  the  surveyor 
that  from  5,000  to  8,000  people  could  settle  in  this  plain  with 
every  prospect  of  making  homes  for  themselves,  as  farmers, 
lumbermen  or  miners.  Unfortunately  much  of  the  timber  on 
this  route  has  been  destroyed  by  fire. 

The  River  Exploits,  200  miles  in  length,  drains  an  area  of 
4,000  square  miles,  and  falls  into  Exploits  Bay,  a  deep  bight  on 
the  south  coast  of  Notre  Dame  Bay.  It  receiveL  many  tribu- 
taries in  its  course.  Of  the  Lower  Exploits  valley  through 
which  the  new  railway  runs,  the  Geological  Report  says:  « No 
observant  person  visiting  the  valley  of  Exploits  could  fail  to  be 
impressed  with  the  manifold  advantages  it  presents  for  the 
prosecution  of  industrial  pursuits,  such  as  lumbering  and 
agriculture.  With  a  splendid  river,  abundant  timber  and  a 
fertile   soil,  the  region   that   is   now  a  wilderness  might   by 


7<) 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


number  Scene. 

ener<^y  and  enteri)rise  be  soon  converttMl  into  a  thriving  settle- 
ment, maintaining]:  ^  large  population.  The  forests  consist  of 
l)ine,  spruc(\  balsam,  fir,  tamarack,  white  birch  and  poplar. 
The  (luality  of  the  spontaneous  i)roductions  may  fairly  be  taken 
as  indicative  of  a  fertile  soil.»  The  (Jeological  Surveyor  es- 
timated that  in  the  whole  of  the  Exploits  valley  « there  are 
T)  12,000  acres  more  or  less  capable  of  supporting  settlement, 
including  arable  and  pasture  lands.)*  The  same  authority  stated 
that  the  valley  '^f  the  (lander  surpasses  even  the  Exploits;  and 
that  including  the  neighboring  (iambo  and  Terra  Nova  valleys 
there  is  an  area  of  1,000,000  acres  available  for  settlement. 
The  (Jander  valley  is  the  finest  lumbering  section  of  the  island. 
The  principal  of  the  minor  farming  districts  are  in 
r.ona vista  liay,  Smith's  Sound,  Trinity  l>ay,  Placentia  Bay,  St. 


Sunset  on  thf  I  lumber. 


72 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


View,  Hav  of  Islands. 


Mary's  Peninsula  and  especially  the  Salmonier  Arm  of  that  bay. 
Though  much  of  the  peninsula  of  Avalon  consists  of  thin, 
rocky  or  swampy  soil,  yet  there  are  here  and  there  wide  areas 
of  soil  which  admit  of  profitable  cultivation,  and  which  when 
duly  treated  with  manure  yield  excellent  root  crops  of  all 
kinds,  as  well  as  oats,  barley  and  luxuriant  grass  crops.  Around 
St.  John's  the  soil  is  thin  and  poor;  yet  snug  farmsteads  and 
well  cultivated  fields  are  everywhere  visible,  and  the  crops 
produced  show  what  industry  can  accomplish. 

Perhaps  the  most  satisfactory  proof  of  the  agricultural 
capabilities  of  the  island  is  derivable  from  what  has  been 
already  accomplished.     Owing  to  the  causes  enumerated  in  the 


X (.•  \v foil  11(11  a lul   Kailwav 


74  NEWFOUNDLAND. 

preceding  historical  section  —the  legal  prohibition  of  settlement 
or  reclaimation  of  land  up  to  the  close  of  last  century — the 
want  of  roads,  and,  till  1884,  the  want  of  railways,  rendering 
access  to  good  lands  difficult  or  impossible,  and  the  almost  ex- 
clusive employment  of  the  people  in  the  fisheries — the  progress 
of  agriculture  has  been  very  slow.  The  latest  census — that  of 
1891,  shows  that  only  179,215  acres  of  land  are  yet  occupied; 
but  it  also  shows  that  the  value  of  the  growing  crops  that  year 
was  $1,562,298.  Further,  the  income  derived  from  cattle  and 
other  domestic  animals,  that  year  was  $732,000  or  a  total  of 
$2,295,398.  The  same  census  gave  the  live  stock,  horses, 
cattle,  sheep,  etc.,  at  $1,189,413. 

These  are  surely  creditable  results  from  the  very  limited 
industry  yet  devoted  to  farming.  It  should  also  be  remembered 
that  the  cultivation  of  the  land  is  as  yet  confined  to  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  towns  and  villages,  and  the  portion  opened  by 
the  roads  which  connect  them.  There  are  but  few  farms  more 
than  three  or  four  miles  from  the  sea  coast,  so  that  only  the 
poorest  portions  of  the  soil  have  yet  been  brought  under 
culture  and  that  in  regions  least  favored  in  regard  to  climate^ 
the  eastern  coast. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

CKOWN  LANDS. 

The  law  which  regulates  the  sale  or  letting  of  ('rown 
lands  for  agricultural,  lumbering  or  mining  purposes  is  of  the 
most  liberal  character,  and  well  calculated  to  promote  the 
settlement  of  the  country.  Land  can  be  purchased  direct  from 
the  Oovernment  at  the  upset  price  of  thirty  cents  per  acre, 
upon  condition  that  the  grantee  shall  within  five  years  from 
the  date  of  the  grant  clear  and  cultivate  ten  acres  for 
every  hundred  acres  comprised  in  the  grant.  Also  licenses 
of  occupation  of  unappropriated  (Vown  lands  are  issued  on 
payment  of  a  fee  of  five  dollars  for  each  160  acres,  and  for  not 
more  than  6,400  acres,  subject  to  the  condition  that  the 
licensee  shall  within  two  years,  settle  upon  the  land  one  family 
for  each  160  acres,  and  for  a  period  of  five  years  cause  to  be 
cleared  at  least  two  acres  per  year  for  every  100  acres  so 
licensed,  and  continue  the  same  under  cultivation  for  a  period 
of  ten  years  from  the  expiration  of  the  said  five  years;  and  he 
shall  then  be  entitled  to  a  grant  in  fee  of  the  said  land.  Mr. 
Reid  the  contractor  for  the  building  and  operating  of  the  rail- 
way, holds  large  land  concessions  along  the  line,  offers  to  sell 
land  on  the  same  terms  as  the  Government — thirty  cents  per 
acre. 

The  Homestead  Law,  one  of  the  most  beneficial  ever  enacted 
for  the  farming  population — is  in  operation  in  Newfoundland. 
By  it  any  person  settling  in  wilderness  lands  to  cultivate  and 
improve  the  same  and  erect  a  dwelling  house  thereon,  shall  be 


76 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


entitled  to  an  estate  of  homestead  not  exceeding  twenty  acres, 
and  each  homestead  shall  be  exempt  from  attachment,  levy,  or 
execution  sale  for  the  payment  of  debts  or  other  purposes. 

There  is  also  a  law  called  the  « I'uper  Pulj)  Act,»  under 
which  licenses  are  granted  to  cut  timber  for  the  pui'pose  of 
manufacturing  ])ai)er  or  paper  pulp.  The  materials  for  such 
an  industry  are  almost  inexhaustible,  while  the  demand  for  it 
is  extending  rapidly. 

The  forest  wealth  of  the  island  is  very  considerable, 
though  much  of  it  has  been  injured  by  fire.  The  forests  are 
chiefly  in  the  valleys  traversed  by  the  larger  rivers  and  around 
the  heads  of  the  bays.  The  i)rincipal  varieties  of  the  indigen- 
ous forest  growths  are  white  pine,  white  and  black  spruce, 
tamarack  or  larch,  fir,  yellow  and  white  birch.  The  yellow 
birch  which  is  abundant  around  lUiy  St.  (leorge,  is  said  to  be 
equal  in  durability  to  the  English  Oak,  and  with  the  spruces 
and  larches,  is  well  fitted  for  ship  building  puri)oses. 


Glimpse  of  Rp'lway  near  Bay  of  Islands. 


NKVVFOUNDLANI). 


77 


The  print'ijjal  lumborin^  districts  are  the  (lundcr,  Ciumbo 
and  Exploits  valleys;  and  on  the  west  coast  the  Huniher 
valley  and  St.  George's  Day.  The  lumber  trade  already 
developed  alon^  the  new  line  of  railway  furnishes  amjtle  i)roof 
of  the  forest  resources  of  the  country. 


Falls  of  Salmonier. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

MINERALS. 

The  discovery  of  copjier  ore  was  first  made  in  1857,  at 
Tilt  Cove,  on  the  northeast  coast.  Since  that  date  mining  has 
gradually  expanded  year  after  year;  one  discovery  followed 
another,  until  now  the  mining  industry  has  become  one  of  the 
most  prominent  and  important  in  the  colony,  and  gives  i)romise 
of  great  develoi)ments  in  the  future.  Within  the  last  three  or 
four  years,  iron  ore  of  a  superior  quality  has  been  discovered 
in  very  large  quantities;  and  coal  mines  have  been  opened,  so 
that  it  is  not  unreasonable  to  believe  that  Newfoundland  will 
yet  become  one  of  the  great  mining  centres  of  the  world. 

COPrEK. 

The  Tilt  ('ove  copper  mine  was  not  worked  till  1864.  In 
fifteen  years  it  had  yielded  50,000  tons  of  copper  ore,  valued  at 
$1,572,154,  and  nickel  ore  worth  $32,740.  It  is  still  worked, 
giving  employment  to  over  500  miners,  and  shows  no  signs  of 
exhaustion.  A  few  years  later  Tilt  Cove  was  completely 
eclipsed  by  a  still  larger  discovery  of  copper  ore  at  Bett's 
Cove,  a  dozen  miles  farther  south.  In  four  years  it  had  pro- 
duced 125,556  tons  of  copper  ore,  valued  at  $3,000,000.  Three 
years  later  (1878),  a  new  mine  which  threw  the  others  into  the 
shade  was  opened  at  Little  Bay,  and  for  some  years  averaged 
an  export  of  20,000  tons  per  annum.  Some  four  years  ago  the 
workings  were  suspended,  the  price  of  copper  ore  having 
fallen  and  the  depth  of  the  mine  rendering  operations  more 


8o 


NKWFOUNDLANI). 


The  Railway  at  Bay  of  Islands. 


expensive.  In  1898  a  discovery  of  a  new  and  valuable  lode 
was  made  near  the  old  workings  and  mining  operations  have 
been  resumed. 

The  price  of  copper  ore  has  greatly  advanced  and  owing 
to  the  increasing  demand  for  it  in  connection  with  the  applica- 
tions of  electricity,  copper  mining  has  become  a  much  more 
profitable  enterprise  than  formerly.  Other  copper  mines  were 
opened  in  the  same  district  with  more  or  less  success.  At  the 
close  of  1892  Mr.  J.  P.  Howley,  head  of  the  Geological  Survey, 
was  able  to  report  that  the  value  of  copper  ore,  regular  and 
ingot,  exported  from  18G4  to  the  end  of  1891  was  $9,198,790. 
Adding  to  this  the  value  of  iron  pyrites  exported  from  IMlley's 
Island  up  to  the  close  of  1898,  namely,  $729,451,  and  of  other 
minerals,  such  as  lead,  nickel,   etc.,   the   aggregate   reached 


NKWFOUNDLAND. 


8i 


$10,777,0S()  aa  the  value  of  all  minerals  exported  from  18()4  to 
the  close  of  1SI)8.  During  the  five  years  which  elapsed  since 
that  date,  mining  has  been  actively  ])rosecuted  and  must  have 
increased  the  value  of  the  total  export  to  more  than  $12,- 
500,000. 

The  staple  mineral  hitherto  has  been  copper,  and  among 
the  copper  producing  countries  of  the  world,  Newfoundland  now 
ranks  sixth.  The  demand  for  this  mineral  is  likely  to  increase 
in  the  future  and  its  value  to  advance  owing  to  the  rapid 
development  of  electricity  as  a  motor  power,  copper  being 
essential  in  its  various  practical  applications,  ('opper  mining 
in  the  future  is  therefore  likely  to  reach  large  dimensions. 
The  extent  of  country  over  which  it  has  been  found  and  in 
which  it  may  be  looked  for  with  a  prospect  of  success  according 


- 

■  .■'is,':,;;  . '    '  /  ■           '  ■-       "     . 

■^.^■'         '&:'■      :;/■'..■              .       • 

•:i,:-^-^^-                    ■■.-IT^' 

^^^ 

1 

wKSt: 

<k 

♦^■^ 

J  '^' 

lA                    .'"1 

^x 

Bay  of  Islands. 


82 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


Country  Scene. 

to  the  verdict  of  science,  is  not  less  than  5,000  square  miles,  so 
great  is  the  vlevelopment  of  the  serpentine  formation  with 
which  the  copi)er  is  always  associated.  Only  a  mere  frag- 
ment of  these  serpentines  has  yet  been  examined,  and  this 
mainly  along  the  shores.  What  the  interior  may  disclose,  now 
that  it  is  opened  and  likely  to  be  settled,  only  time  will  tell. 
These  serpentines  belong  to  what  in  Canadian  geology  is 
termed  the  Quebec  group  of  the  Lower  Silurian  series,  and  to 
the  middle  or  Lauzon  divisiun  of  that  series  —the  metalliferous 
zoiie  of  North  America.  It  is  rich  in  copper  ores  and  is  usually 
accompanied  with  silver,  gold,  nickel  and  chromium  ores. 
Now  the  Lauzon  division  is  the  one  v;i:ich  is  developed  in  north- 
eastern  Newfoundland.      It   is   to   be   noted   that   it  is   not 


NEWFOUW  *ND. 


83 


in  the  serpentines  the  cop]»er  is  found  but  in  a  chloritic 
shite,  very  ferruj^inous,  which  occurs  both  above  and  below 
the  serpentine.  Where  the  serpentine  a])pears  there  is 
always  a  possibility  that  this  ore-bearinjij  chloritic  slate  may 
be  found  so  that  the  serpentines  become  a  guide  to  pros- 
pectors. Where  no  serpentines  are  it  is  vain  to  look  for 
copper  ore.  The  mineral  belt  along  the  northeast  shore  is 
about  forty  miles  in  length  ;  its  breadth  inland  is  yet  unde- 
termined. There  is  good  reason  for  believing  that  it  extends 
right  through  the  island  to  Bonne  Bay  and  Bay  of  islands  on 
the  western  coast,  ('hromic  iron  has  been  found  associated 
with  these  serpentines.  There  is  a  considerable  development 
of  it  at  Port-au-l'ort  which  is  worked  by  an  American  (-ompany. 
The  serpentines  also  attbrd  a  beautiful  variety  of  marble  as 
well  as  soai)stone,  asbestos  and  talc. 


Ilarbiif  Sroni.'. 


84 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


Channt'l   Pruper. 


PYRITES. 

Iron  pyrites  is  another  mineral  abundant  in  the  island,  but 
the  only  deposit  yet  worked  on  a  large  scale  is  at  Pilley's 
Island,  Exploits  Bay,  which  has  been  operated  for  several  years. 
The  ore  is  exported  to  the  United  States  and  used  for  the 
manufacture  of  sulphuric  acid.  The  residuum  of  iron  is  used 
in  the  manufacture  of  the  best  steel.  The  ore  gives  fifty-four 
per  cent,  of  sulphur,  being  superior  to  that  of  Spain.  The 
annual  shipments  are  about  50,000  tons.  Adjoining  is  said 
to  be  another  deposit  of  unknown  extent,  not  yet  worked.  The 
whole  export  of  iron  pyrites  in  1893  was  58,311  tons,  the 
value  of  which  was  $264,384. 

IRON   ORE. 

It  was  not  till  1895  that  the  first  discovery  of  iron  ore 
was  made  in  Bell  Island,  Conception  Bay,  twelve  miles  from  St. 
John's.     This  proved  to  be  one  of  the  most  remarkable  and 


NEWFOUNDLAND.  85 

also  one  of  the  most  valuable  mines  in  the  world.  The  ore  lies 
in  a  horizontal  bed  five  feet  below  the  surface.  The  length  of 
the  iron  deposit  is  three  miles,  and  the  breadth  between  a 
quarter  and  half  a  mile.  On  the  removal  of  the  covering  rock, 
about  five  feet  in  depth,  this  horizontal  band  of  ore  is  reached, 
and  is  worked  like  an  open  quarry.  The  first  stratum  is 
estimated  to  contain  20,000,000  tons  and  is  about  six  feet  in 
depth.  Then  comes  another  rock  covering  of  five  feet,  and 
this  being  penetrated,  a  second  iron  band  is  reached  of  the  same 
depth  as  the  first  and  containing  about  the  same  quantity  of 
ore,  so  that  the  two  deposits  contain  40,000,000  tons,  thus 
being  practically  inexhaustible.  There  is  no  need  of  shafts. 
Pickaxes,  crow-bars,  wedges  and  a  few  charges  of  dynamite  are 
sufficient  to  work  the  mine,  for  one  remarkable  feature  about 
it  is  that  the  ore  has  a  jointed  cleavage,  so  that  when  extracted 
it  breaks  up  into  rhomboidal  masses  of  various  sizes,  none  being 
of  greater  size  than  twelve  inches  by  four.  When  extracted 
from  the  bed  in  this  way,  it  is  shoveled  into  wagons  with  as 
much  ease  as  anthracite  coal  into  a  cart.  Between  200  and 
300  men  are  employed,  and  b^uch  is  the  ease  of  working  that, 
if  required,  2,000  tons  a  day  could  be  extracted.  A  tramway 
two  miles  in  length  connects  the  mine  with  the  shipping  place. 
An  endless  chain  worked  by  steam  power  moves  the  wagons, 
when  loaded,  to  a  huge  iron  cage  overhanging  the  water  through 
which  the  iron  ore  is  dropped  into  the  hold  of  the  steamers, 
so  that  loading  is  accomplished  with  great  rapidity.  It  would 
be  difficult  to  find  elsewhere  a  mine  that  can  be  worked  at  such 
small  cost. 

The  ore  is  brown  hematite  containing  fifty-five  per  cent,  of 
iron.  Mixed  with  other  ores  it  makes  the  finest  steel.  It  is 
shipped  to  Glasgow,  Scotland,  to  Hamburg  and  to  Nova  Scotia. 
In  1898,  100,000  tons  were  shipped.    The  Nova  Scotia  Steel 


86 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


Wuterfoicl   Rix'cr. 


and  Iron  Co.,  of  New  (Glasgow,  N.  F.,  were  the  lessees  of  the 
])roperty  which  consisted  of  four  grants,  each  being  one  mile 
square.  During  the  past  winter  this  company  has  disposed  of 
a  portion  of  its  interest  to  the  Dominion  Iron  and  Steel  Co.  for 
$1,000,000. 

Bell  Island  is  six  miles  long  and  two  broad,  and  the  deposit 
described  is  by  no  means  the  only  one.  There  are  two  or  three 
others  now  under  licenses,  which,  it  is  stated,  will  shortly  be 
worked,  so  that  the  island  hitherto  of  little  value,  except  for  a 
few  farms,  is  likely  to  become  a  hive  of  industry.  In  all  the 
years  gone  by  no  one  suspected  the  mineral  treasures  it  held 
concealed  under  the  surface,  and  it  was  only  the  accidental 
circumstance  of  a  fisherman  having  brought  to  St.  John's  some 
blocks  of  the  ore  as  ballast  that  led  to  the  discovery  and 
working  of  this  great  iron  deposit. 

It  has  long  been  known  that  in  Western  Newfoundland 
magnetic  iron  ore  has  been  found  at  several  points,  and  now 


NEWFOUNDLAND.  87 

that  the  railway  traverses  that  region,  these  will  receive  due 
attention  in  the  near  future.  From  all  these  facts  it  is  evident 
that  the  island  is  destined  to  be  a  great  iron  producing,  as  well 
as  copper  producing  country.  The  attention  of  mining  capital- 
ists is  now  drawn  to  the  island,  and  its  prospects  as  a  field  for 
investments  in  mining  enterjirises  is  widening  daily.  Nothing 
advances  a  country  so  rapidly  as  mining  industries. 

ASBESTOS. 

The  next  most  important  mineral  found  in  the  island  is 
asbestos,  but  the  mining  of  this  valuable  article  is  yet  in  its 
infancy.  Scientific  men  predicted  years  ago  that  asbestos 
would  be  found.  Their  opinions  was  based  on  the  fact  that  the 
metamorphic  rocks  and  serpentines  of  the  eastern  townships, 
and  the  (iaspe  Peninsula,  in  which  the  Canadian  asbestos  is 
found,  dip  under  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence,  appear  on  the  west 
coast  of  Newfoundland,  extend  many  miles  inland  and  probably 
across  the  island. 

During  the  last  three  years,  search  has  been  made  for 
asbestos,  and  the  predictions  of  the  geologists  have  been 
verified  to  some  extent.  «The  Halifax  Asbestos  Company,)) 
«The  Newfoundland  Mineral  Syndicate)) — an  English  mining 
company — and  a  number  of  individual  adventurers  have  been 
engaged  in  the  search  for  asbestos,  with  varying  success.  The 
neighborhood  of  Port-au-Port  has  attracted  much  attention. 
Now  that  the  railway  has  opened  up  the  wes*^  "  ast  a  great 
impetus  will  be  given  to  asbestos  mining. 

COAL. 

It  is  a  fact  of  primary  importance  that  this  island,  so  pro- 
ductive in  copper  and  iron  ores,  is  also  proved  to  contain 
extensive  coal  areas.     Professor  J.  B.  Jukes,  a  distinguished 


88 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


Little  Codroy  Valley, 


geologist,  visited  Newfoundland  in  1842  and  discovered  the 
existence  of  a  coal  area  of  considerable  extent  in  the  region 
around  St.  (xeorge's  Bay.  Near  Crabbs  Brook  he  found  a  fine 
seam  of  excellent  cannel-coal  between  three  and  four  feet  in 
thickness.  After  a  careful  examination  of  the  region  he  calcu- 
lated that  this  coal  field  was  about  twenty-five  miles  wide  by 
ten  miles  in  length.  Mr.  J.  P.  Howley,  F.  G.  S.,  now  head  of 
the  Geological  Survey,  discovered  another  coal  seam  in  this 
region  on  Robinson's  Brook,  about  nine  miles  from  its  mouth, 
its  thickness  being  four  feet.  Two  other  seams  occur  in  the 
same  section,  the  three  seams  giving  a  thickness  of  eight  feet 
of  coal.  In  1889  a  more  thorough  examination  of  this  coal 
district  was  carried  out,  resulting  in  the  discovery  that  the 


NEWFOUNDLAND.  89 

whole  of  the  coal  seams  in  Bay  St.  George's  Trough,  aggregate 
about  twenty-seven  feet  in  thickness.  «To  illustrate,"  says 
Mr.  Ilowley,  « the  importance  of  what  such  information  would 
mean,  it  may  be  stated  that  an  ag-  gate  of  twenty-seven 
feet  of  coal,  provided  the  seams  maimained  their  ascertained 
thickness  throughout,  should  for  every  square  mile  of  super- 
ficial area  they  may  be  found  to  underlie,  contain  about 
2r)/.)2(),()00  tons  of  coal.)) 

There  is  another  trough  known  as  « T'he  Inland  Trough  of 
Humber  River  and  Grand  Lake,))  which  will  probably  be  found 
not  less  valuable  than  that  of  F>ay  St.  George,  and  its  import- 
ance is  enhanced  by  the  fact  that  the  railway  passes  through 
it,  and  already  it  is  in  course  of  development.  Mr.  R.  (J.  Reid, 
who  is  under  a  contract  with  the  (Jovernment  for  operating 
the  railway,  has  obtained  on  certain  conditions  a  concession  of 
these  coal  areas  near  (Jrand  Lake. 

Mr.  Howley  has  established,  beyond  all  doubt,  that  the 
coal  measures  here  form  a  continuous  trough  from  about  a 
mile  to  the  west  of  Alderlay  Brook,  to  a  point  on  the  railway, 
a  total  distance  in  a  straight  line  of  eleven  miles.  « Eighteen 
out-crops  of  coal  are  uncovered  here,  representing  nine 
separate  seams.  The  coal  throughout  is  of  good  quality,  some 
of  it  excellent.))  One  of  the  seams  marked  No.  6,  on  Mr. 
Rowley's  plan,  «is  made  up  of  two  layers  of  excellent  bright 
black  coal  divided  by  a  layer  of  carbonaceous  shale.  The 
lower  coal  is  three  feet  six  inches  thick,  and  the  upper  two 
feet  eight  inches — in  all  six  feet  two  inches  of  good  coal.»  Of 
course,  much  remains  to  be  done  before  its  full  extent  and 
value  can  be  determined,  but  that  it  is  a  very  promising  coal 
field  is  put  beyond  all  reasonable  doubt.  The  present  indications 
are  that  here  is  a  coal  area  from  which  the  whole  island  could 
be  supplied  with  coal,  including  household  consumption,  smelt- 


(JO 


NKVVFOIINDLANI). 


in^  of  ores,  and  su])i)lie.s  for  railway  purposes.  The  rej^ion  is 
but  forty  miles  from  liay  of  Islands  where  there  is  an  excellent 
shij)pinj^  l)()rt. 

(iOLI)    AND    SILVER. 

Does  the  island  contain  any  of  the  precious  metals  in 
workable  (piantities?  Some  years  ago  p^old  was  discovered 
in  quartz  at  Uritjjus  but  it  proved  a  disai)])ointment.  In  181)G 
^reat  excitement  was  created  by  the  announcement  that  a 
gold-bearing  (piartz  reef  had  been  discovered  at  ('ape  Ih'oyle, 
forty  miles  south  of  St.  John's.  Samples  were  taken  out  and 
forwarded  to  London  for  analysis.  The  assay  showed  that  the 
(juartz  contained  nearly  three  ounces  of  gold  and  over  an 
ounce  of  silver  to  the  ton^  value  sixty  dollars.  There  was  no 
trickery  or  deception;  the  transaction  was  hona  fide.  It  is  a 
fact  of  no  little  importance  that  a  (luartz  reef  yielding  three 
ounces  of  gold  to  the  ton  has  been  discovered  in  the  island, 
but  until  the  whole  has  been  tested  by  further  operations  it 
would  be  rash  to  build  any  large  speculations  on  this  discovery, 
(lold  has,  however,  been  found  in  several  places,  but  not 
hitherto  in  paying  quantities.  Further,  eminent  geologists, 
such  as  the  late  Mr.  Murray,  F.  (J.  S.,  long  ago  predicted  the 


Fishing-  Village. 


On  the  Ilunibtjr. 


02  NEWFOUNDLAND. 

discovery  of  ^o\d  from  the  character  of  the  formations  in 
many  districts  where  the  rocks  are  pronounced  to  be  the 
equivalents  of  the  Kf>ld-bearing  formations  of  Nova  Scotia. 
Ming's  P)ight,  in  White  liay,  is  another  locality  in  which  gold 
has  been  found.  The  shores  of  Tlacentia  Day  are  highly 
metalliferous,  and  here  a  mine  known  as  "Silver  ('liff  Mine,»> 
presents  very  promising  appearances.  At  La  Manche,  on  the 
same  bay,  a  lead  mine  yielding  a  large  percentage  of  silver  was 
carried  on  for  several  years,  but  for  want  of  capital  the  enter- 
prise collapsed.     Lead  has  also  been  found  at  Tort-au-Port. 

rETROLEIIM. 

Very  recently  the  discovery  of  petroleum  has  been  made 
and  promising  beginnings  made  at  Port-au-Port.  On  the 
western  coast,  north  of  C'ow  Head,  there  is  an  extensive  tract 
of  country  in  which  it  was  reported  many  years  ago,  that  oil 
had  been  seen  floating  on  the  surface  of  the  lakes  and  marshes. 
Borings  have  been  made  here  under  well  qualified  engineers, 
and  with  very  successful  results.  A  company  named  «Tht 
Western  Newfoundland  Oil  Company,))  has  been  organized  for 
developing  this  interest.  The  quantity  is  reported  to  be  large 
and  the  quality  excellent. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

PUBLIC    ROADS. 

In  no  other  country  has  the  material  and  social  advance- 
ment of  the  people  been  so  seriously  retarded  by  the  want  of 
roads  as  in  Newfoundland.  The  original  settlement  of  the 
island  took  place  entirely  in  connection  with  the  ilsheries. 
The  gathering  in  of  the  sea  harvest  was  the  only  industry 
contemplated  or  attempted.  Around  the  shores,  fishermen, 
chiefly  from  England  and  Ireland,  collected  at  first  in  hamlets 
and  small  villages  situated  in  such  localities  as  were  found  best 
adapted  for  catching,  curing  and  shipping  fish.  These,  as  they 
multiplied,  and  the  population  increased,  were  dotted  around 
the  shores  of  the  great  bays,  or  wherever  there  was  a  sheltered 
inlet  where  fish  could  be  landed  and  the  fisherman's  hut  and 
stage  erected.  Sprinkled  thus  along  an  extensive  seaboard 
they  were  often  widely  apart  from  each  other,  and  intercourse 
was  maintained  mainly  or  entirely  by  sea  or  by  rude  paths 
through  the  woods  between  neighboring  settlements. 

Notwithstanding  the  stupid,  selfish  laws  which  prohibited 
settlement,  and  made  the  cultivation  of  the  soil  a  penal  oflfense 
in  order  to  secure  a  monopoly  of  the  fisheries  to  a  number  of 
English  capitalists,  the  resident  population  in  the  fishing 
villages  continued  to  increase  and  some  of  these  developed  into 
small  towns.  St.  John's,  in  particular,  and  Harbor  ({race  made 
considerable  strides.  The  laws  against  settlement  and  the 
cultivation  of  the  soil  had  the  effect  of  confining  the  people  to 
the  sea  margin  in  small,  isolated  settlements,  the  only  inter- 
communication  being  by  sea.     So  late   as   1790  one   of  the 


94 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


Governors  issued  a  proclamation  stating?  that  « he  was  directed 
not  to  allow  any  possession  as  private  property  to  be  taken 
or  any  right  of  private  property  whatever  to  be  acknowledged 
in  any  land  whatever  which  is  not  actually  employed  in  the 
fishr^y  in  the  terms  of  the  Act  10  and  11,  William  III.» 

A  better  day  dawned  at  length.  The  foolish  and  cruel 
laws  were  relaxed,  and  in  1S18  grants  of  land  to  settlers  were 
for  the  first  time  permitted.  Agriculture  on  a  small  scale 
mmediately  commenced  around  each  settlement.  It  was  soon 
found,  however,  that  no  progress  could  be  made  in  the  cultiva- 
tion of  the  soil  till  roads  were  constructed.  The  year  1825  is 
rendered  memorable  by  the  construction  of  the  first  road,  nine 
miles  in  length,  from  St.  John's  to  Portugal  Cove,  on  the 
southern  shore  of  (Conception  Hay.  On  the  opposite  shore  of 
this  bay  were  the  thriving  towns  of  Harbor  ( Jrace,  Carbonear  and 


Ronnie's  River. 


o 
O 

!> 

bo 

tS 
•O 

o 
U 


B 
O 


96  NEWFOUNDLAND. 

Brigus,  the  centres  of  a  considerable  population.  By  establish- 
ing a  regular  system  of  boats  to  cross  this  bay,  carrying  mails 
and  passengers,  a  route  was  established  by  which  nearly  half 
the  population,  then  living  in  the  country,  were  provided  with  a 
rough  means  of  communication.  To  Sir  Thomas  Cochrane, 
Governor,  belongs  the  honor  of  introducing  this  essential  step 
in  civilization.  He  also  constructed  a  road  to  Torbay,  a  village 
north  of  St.  John's,  and  a  third  along  a  beautiful  valley  to  a  place 
now  called  Waterford  Bridge.  In  a  few  years  road-making  had 
made  rapid  progress.  Roads  radiating  from  St.  John's  in 
several  directions  were  built,  along  which  farms  and  neat  farm 
houses  soon  became  visible.  One  of  these  roads  extended  first 
to  Topsail,  on  Conception  Bay,  thence  to  Hol3rrood,  Salmonier, 
St.  Marys  and  Placentia,  a  distance  of  eighty  miles. 

When  representative  government  was  established  in  1832 
an  annual  grant  was  voted  for  making  and  repairing  roads  and 
bridges,  and,  after  some  time,  the  sum  of  $150,000  per  annum 
was  devoted  to  this  purpose.  There  are  now  about  1,000  miles 
of  postal  roads  and  over  2,000  miles  of  district  roads. 


/      CHAPTER    X. 

ROUTES   OF  TRAVEL. 

Newfoundland  is  now  easy  of  access  to  the  outside  world, 
whether  from  the  United  States,  Canada  or  Europe.  Lines  of 
steamers  connect  St.  John's  with  Liverpool,  Halifax,  New  York 
and  Montreal,  while  the  steamer  wBrucew  plies  three  times  a  week 
between  North  Sydney,  (^ape  Breton  and  Port-au-Basques,  the 
western  terminus  of  the  Newfoundland  Railway.  The  last 
named  will  be  a  favorite  route  as  it  presents  the  shortest  sea 
passage,  and  as  North  Sydney  can  be  reached  by  rail  from  all 
parts  of  Canada  and  the  United  States.  To  many,  however, 
the  older  routes,  direct  by  steamer  to  St.  John's,  will  be 
preferable. 

St.  John's  is  reached  from  Halifax  in  about  two  days  by 
the  steamers  of  the  Red  Cross  Line,  sailing  every  ten  days, 
and  by  steamers  of  the  Furness  Line,  sailing  fortnightly. 
Steamers  of  the  Allan  Steamship  ('ompany  call  at  St.  John's 
fortnightly  on  their  way  from  Glasgow  and  Liverpool  to 
Halifax  and  Philadelphia,  but  do  not  call  at  Halifax  on  their 
eastward  trip,  coming  direct  from  Philadelphia  to  St.  John's. 
The  vessels  of  all  three  lines  are  safe  and  comfortable. 

From  Montreal,  St.  John's  is  reached  in  four  days  by 
steamers  of  the  Black  Diamond  Line,  sailing  weekly,  and  of  the 
Ross  Line,  sailing  weekly;  also  by  steamers  of  the  Dobell  Line, 
sailing  fortnightly.  From  New  York — 1,200  miles  -St.  John's 
is  reached  by  steamers  of  the  Red  Cross  Line  in  five  to  five  and 
one-half  days,  including  a  « stop-over »  of  one-half  to  one  day  at 
Halifax.     From  Liverpool — 1,930  miles — St.  John's  is  reached 


0  NEWFOUNDLAND. 

in  about  seven  days  by  steamers  of  the  Furness  Line,  sailing 
fortnightly.  From  Glasgow  and  Liverpool,  St.  John's  is  reached 
by  steamers  of  the  Allan  Line,  sailing  fortnightly. 

ST.   JOHN'S. 

St.  John's,  the  capital,  is  situated  on  the  eastern  shore  of 
the  island,  sixty  miles  north  of  Cape  Race,  in  47°  33'  33"  north 
latitude,  and  52°  45'  10"  west  longitude.  It  is  10°  52'  east  of 
Halifax,  and  stands  on  what  is  nearly  the  most  eastern  point  of 
America — Cape  Spear,  five  miles  south  of  the  city,  alone  pro- 
jecting a  little  farther  towards  the  Old  World.  It  is  1,000 
miles  nearer  than  New  York  to  England,  and  but  1,640  miles 
from  the  coast  of  Ireland.  The  recognized  official  spelling  is 
St.  John's,  but  the  weight  of  the  older  authorities  is  in  favor  of 
St.  Johns — without  the  apostrophe — following  the  analogy  of 
St.  Ives,  St.  Kitts  and  similar  names.  At  the  beginning  of  this 
century  its  population  was  3,420;  it  is  now  30,000.  The 
entrance  to  the  harbor  is  one  of  the  most  striking  and 
picturesque  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic,  and  is  the  admiration 
of  all  travelers.  In  a  lofty,  iron-bound  coast  whose  grim  rocks 
frown  defiance  on  the  billows  of  the  Atlantic,  there  suddenly 
presents  itself  to  the  voyager  a  narrow  opening  in  the  rocky 
wall,  as  if  by  some  convulsion  of  Nature,  the  rampart  had  been 
rent  asunder  and  the  sea  had  rushed  in.  Hills  from  500  to 
600  feet  high  guard  this  opening  on  each  side,  and  as  the 
vessel  glides  through  the  traveler  looks  up,  not  without  a  feel- 
ing of  awe,  at  the  great  cliffs  of  dark  red  sandstone  piled  in 
broken  masses  on  a  foundation  of  gray  slate  rock.  On  his 
right  he  sees  an  almost  perpendicular  precipice  300  feet  in 
height,  above  which  rises,  with  almost  equal  steepness,  the 
crest  of  Signal  Hill  510  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  on 
which  stands  the  Block  House  for  signaling  the  vessels  as  they 


NEWFOUNDLAND.  09 

approach  the  harbor.  On  the  left  hand  the  hill  rises  still 
higher,  by  100  feet,  picturesque,  ragged  and  broken.  From  its 
base  a  rocky  promontory  juts  out,  forming  the  entrance  of  the 
narrows  on  one  side,  on  the  summit  of  which  is  Fort  Amherst 
Lighthouse,  where  is  heard  the  hoarse  roar  of  the  restless 
Atlantic,  as  the  waves  break  on  the  rocks  beneath.  It  is  a 
scene  which  for  sublimity  is  not  au;  passed  along  the  entire 
American  coast.  Formerly  batteries  armed  with  formidable 
guns  rose  one  over  the  other  amid  the  clefts  of  these  rocks, 
but  years  ago  the  cannon  have  been  removed  and  the  garrison 
withdrawn.  The  narrows  leading  to  the  harbor  are  nearly  half 
a  mile  in  length,  and  it  is  not  till  two-thirds  of  them  are 
passed  that  the  city  opens  to  view,  as  at  the  termination  of 
this  channel  the  harbor  trends  to  the  west,  thus  completely 
shutting  out  the  swell  from  the  ocean.  In  ten  minutes  after 
leaving  the  Atlantic  a  steamer  is  safely  moored  at  the  wharf 
in  the  still  waters  of  a  perfectly  land-locked  harbor.  Vessels 
of  the  largest  tonnage  can  enter  at  all  periods  of  the  tide,  the 
rise  of  which  does  not  exceed  four  feet.  The  entrance  of  the 
narrows,  between  Signal  Hill  and  Fort  Amherst,  is  about  1,400 
feet  in  width,  and  at  the  the  narrowest  point,  between  Pancake 
and  Chain  Rocks,  the  channel  is  not  more  than  600  feet.  The 
harbor  is  over  a  mile  in  length  and  between  a  quarter  and  half 
a  mile  in  width.  It  is  deep,  with  a  mud  bottom,  having  from 
five  to  ten  fathoms,  and  in  the  centre  it  is  ninety  feet  deep. 
Of  its  size  it  would  be  difficult  to  find  a  finer  harbor. 

The  city  is  built  on  the  northern  side  of  the  harbor  on  a 
site  which  could  scarcely  be  surpassed.  From  the  water's  edge 
the  ground  rises  with  a  slope  till  the  summit  is  reached,  where 
there  is  a  large  level  space.  Along  the  face  of  this  slope  the 
main  streets  run,  and  the  city  is  rapidly  extending  itself  in  all 
directions  beyond.    Three  principal  streets  run  parallel  with 


m.*--'-^ 


.«w 


Right  Rev.  Llewellyn  Jones,  Bishop  of  Newfoundland. 


■^^Bb^^  --^T^^^^''*  ^^^^^^^i 

:     "1   1 

Cathedral  Church  of  St.  John  the  Baptist. 


103  NEWFOUNDLAND. 

the  harbor  and  with  one  another  the  whole  length  of  the  city, 
and  these  are  intersected  with  numerous  cross  streets. 

On  the  south  side  of  the  harbor  the  hills  spring  so 
abruptly  from  the  water  that  only  a  sufficient  site  for  a  range 
of  warehouses  and  oil  factories  could  be  scooped  out.  From 
the  waters  of  the  harbor  the  city  presents  a  very  picturesque 
appearance,  climbing  the  slope  of  the  hill  which  is  crowned  by 
the  Roman  C/atholic  ('athedral,  a  fine  building  which  overlooks 
the  whole.  There  is  ample  space  in  every  direction  for  expan- 
sion. Already,  on  the  summits  overlooking  the  business  parts 
of  the  city,  houses  of  a  superior  description  are  erected  and 
are  becoming  the  fashionable  quarters.  The  leading  roads  in 
all  directions  are  getting  lined  w'th  villas  the  residences  of 
the  wealthier  classes. 

St.  John's  was  founded  in  1580.  Gradually  from  a  cluster 
of  fishermen's  huts  around  the  harbor  it  has  grown  to  be  a  city 
of  30,000  inhabitants.  It  has  been  frequently  devastated  by 
fire.  In  1816  three  conflagrations  in  succession  swept  away 
the  greater  part  of  the  town.  It  speedily  rose  from  its  ashes, 
but  in  1846  a  great  fire  destroyed  two-thirds  of  the  city  and 
impoverished  thousands.  Once  more  it  sprung  up  and  was 
rebuilt  on  a  greatly  improved  plan,  but  in  1892  the  destroyer 
came  in  a  more  terrible  form  and  more  than  half  the  city  went 
up  in  smoke  and  flames.  About  11,000  persons  were  left 
homeless,  and  property  to  the  value  of  $15,000,000  was 
destroyed.  The  people,  however,  set  themselves,  with  admirable 
courage  and  energy,  to  the  task  of  rebuilding  their  city,  and 
now  few  traces  of  the  fire  are  left.  The  new  part  has  been 
built  on  an  improved  plan  and  is  much  handsomer  than  that 
which  existed  before  the  fire.  Streets  have  been  widened, 
fire-breaks  secured  and  drainage  improved.  All  the  churches 
and  public  buildings  destroyed  have  been  restored,  with  the 


NEWFOUNDLAND.  103 

exception  of  the  Athenaeum,  and  are  now  much  finer  structures 
than  before  the  great  conflagration.  The  (iovernment  has 
entered  into  a  contract  with  Mr.  R.  (i.  Reid  to  pave  Water 
Street  with  granite  or  whin-stone;  to  concrete  the  sidewalks 
and  lay  down  an  electric  street  railway.  In  another  year 
these  improvements  will  be  completed. 

OBJECTS   OF   INTEREST   IN   ST.   .lOHN'S. 

The  most  conspicuous  building  in  St.  John's  is  the  Roman 
Catholic  Cathedral  which  occupies  a  commanding  site  on  the 
summit  of  the  hill  on  which  the  city  is  built.  It  is  in  the  form 
of  a  Latin  cross,  287  feet  in  length  and  180  feet  wide  across 
the  transepts,  with  two  towers  188  feet  in  height.  It  is 
richly  ornamented  with  statuary,  the  finest  thing  being  « The 
Dead  Christ,»  by  Hogan,  under  the  altar,  and  those  of  St.  John 
the  Baptist  and  of  the  Virgin,  in  front  of  the  cathedral.  The 
view  from  the  cathedral  grounds  is  very  fine.  Adjacent  to  it 
are  the  Bishop's  Palace,  St.  Bonaventure  College  and  a  con- 
vent.   The  whole  group  cost  about  half  a  million  dollars. 

The  Church  of  England  Cathedral,  about  half  way  up  the 
slope,  was  designed  by  Sir  (iilbert  Scott  in  an  early  English 
style,  and  was  dedicated  to  St.  John  the  Baptist.  Before  its 
destruction  by  the  fire  of  1892  it  was  one  of  the  finest  ecclesi- 
astical edifices  in  British  America.  In  that  fire  it  suffered 
terribly,  only  the  bare  walls  being  left.  The  walls  of  the 
transept  were  not  seriously  injured  but  the  beautiful  arches 
were  ruined.  This  portion  of  the  cathedral  has  been  roofed 
and  the  arches  restored,  and  it  is  now  used  for  services,  but 
the  nave,  which  suffered  more,  has  not  yet  been  restored. 

On  the  Military  Road,  running  along  the  crest  of  the 
ridge,  stands  the  Colonial  Building,  or  House  of  Parliament, 
containing  chambers  for  the  two  branches  of  the  Legislature, 


RiK'lit  Rev.  M.  F.  Howley,  D.  D., 
R.  C.  Hishop.  St.  jdhn's. 


Roniiin  Ciitholic  Culhedral,  St.  John's. 


loO  NKWFOUNDLANl). 

and  a  largo  library.  It  was  built  in  1847  at  a  coat  of  £100,000. 
Its  Ionic  portico  is  borne  by  six  massive  columns,  thirty  feet 
hij^h.  Near  it  is  (Jovernment  House,  an  unpretentious  but 
substantial  and  comfortable  abode  where  the  representative  of 
royalty  resides.  It  is  surrounded  by  well  kept  j^rounds.  The 
ImperiaU  Jovernment  erected  it  in   1S2(S  at  a  cost  of  £.S0,000. 

Before  the  fire  of  ISi)2  the  Athenseum,  a  very  handsome 
buildinjjj,  stood  bt^sid<^  the  Union  P)ank.  It  was  totally  destroyed 
with  its  fine  public  library,  music  and  lecture  hall,  readinj^- 
room  and  savings  bank,  and  is  still  a  mass  of  ruins  awaiting 
restoration.  The  building  known  as  the  Union  I>ank,  has  been, 
since  the  failure  of  the  bank  in  1(S<)4,  purchased  by  (Jovern- 
ment and  converted  into  public  offices.  A  portion  of  the  (com- 
mercial Hank,  now  also  the  property  of  the  (Jovernment,  is 
occupied  by  the  Savings  Hank.  The  (commercial  Hank  also 
became  insolvent  in  lSt)4.  These  two  banks,  which  made  a 
disastrous  failure  in  the  same  year,  have  been  replaced  by  the 
Hank  of  Montreal,  the  Hank  of  Nova  Scotia  and  the  Merchants' 
Hank  of  Halifax. 

In  the  Exchange  I'uilding,  near  the  foot  of  Mcliride's 
Hill,  is  the  Anglo-American  Telegraph  Co.  office.  Hours  of 
business  from  S..SO  A.  M.  to  9  r.  M. 

The  post-office  is  a  fine  building  toward  the  western  end  of 
Water  Street.  Its  arrangements  are  of  a  modern  type,  and 
for  the  accommodation  of  the  public  are  all  that  could  be 
desired.  The  upper  portion  of  the  building  is  devoted  to  the 
purposes  of  a  public  museum  which  is  well  worthy  of  the  atten- 
tention  of  travelers  and  tourists.  Here  are  arranged  speci- 
mens of  the  minerals,  the  coal,  marbles,  building  stones, 
granites  and  of  the  timber  of  the  island.  The  geologist  can 
here  study  the  fossils  found  in  the  various  formations  which 
are  named   and  classified.    The  antiquarian   will  find  here  a 


np:wf<)uni)Land.  107 

most  interesting  collection  of  the  relics  of  the  extinct  aborig- 
inal race  of  the  island,  a  branch  of  the  Algonkins  called 
l)Oeothicks.  Here  are  skulls,  bones,  almost  an  entire  skele- 
ton of  the  extinct  tribe;  also  their  stone  implements,  arrow 
heads,  etc.  Local  objects  of  natural  history  are  in  great 
profusion,  such  as  stulfed  sj)ecimens  of  caribou,  bears,  seals, 
birds,  fishes;  also  a  collection  of  the  moUusca  of  the  island. 

The  dry  dock  is  another  object  of  interest.  It  stands  at 
the  head  of  the  harbor,  in  the  west  end  of  the  city.  It  is  built 
of  wood,  is  fJOO  feet  long,  VM)  feet  wide,  with  a  depth  of 
twenty-tive  feet  on  its  sill  at  low  water.  Thus  it  is  able  to 
accommodate  all  but  the  very  largest  ocean  steamers  afloat. 
Its  cost  was  $550, 000.     It  was  openc^l  in  1S(S 4. 

Three  miles  further  out,  on  the  Waterford  1 'ridge  Koad,  is 
the  lunatic  asylum  ;  a  handsome  structure,  beautifully  situated 
and  well  managed.  Visitors  are  admitted  by  an  order  from 
the  resident  physician.  The  walk  or  drive  to  it  along  ('astor's 
Valley,  as  the  little  brook  is  called,  is  very  pleasant.  The 
Victoria  I'ark  and  the  Riverhead  (-emetery  are  passed  on 
the  right. 

On  the  road  leading  to  (^uidi  Vidi,  on  the  outskirts  of  the 
city,  is  the  j)enitentiary  ;  a  solid  granite  building  surrounded 
with  a  high  fence  and  rather  grim  of  asjiect.  Opposite  to  it, 
a  short  distance  from  the  road,  is  the  general  hospital.  It  is 
an  excellent  institution  and  admirably  managed.  In  commem- 
oraticm  of  the  (Queen's  Diamond  Jubilee  in  l<Si)7,  a  new  wing 
was  added  to  the  hosi)ital,  called  the  "Victoria  Wing,»  for  the 
accommodation  of  women  and  children.  It  is  fitted  u|)  with  all 
modern  improvements.  The  ladies  of  St.  John's  initiated  and 
carried  out  the  movement  which  led  to  the  erection  of  this 
tine  wing,  but  subscri])tions  came  from  all  i)arts  of  the  island. 

The  chief  business  interests  of  St.  John's  are,  of  course, 


1 

o 

tr  m 

J'^    m 

\'\r% 

■        i 

,1 

■.    ^ 

Rev.  H.  P.  Cowperthwaite,  Methodist. 


(.lowcr  Street  Mothndist  Cluiri'h. 


no  NEWFOUNDLAND. 

connected  with  the  fisheries  and  the  exportation  of  their 
products,  but  in  recent  years  it  has  made  fair  progress  in 
manufactures.  It  now  contains  iron  founderies,  machine  shops, 
shoe,  furniture,  butterine,  tobacco  and  soap  factories,  biscuit 
bakeries,  breweries  and  tanneries.  Half  a  mile  from  the  city, 
at  Mundy  Pond,  there  is  a  large  and  well  equipped  rope-walk, 
which  gives  employment  to  about  lOO  men,  and  is  equal  in  all 
respects  to  any  other  establishment  of  the  kind  in  the  United 
States  or  Canada. 

A  walk  along  Water  Street,  the  main  business  thorough- 
fare, will  enable  a  stranger  to  form  an  idea  of  the  style  of 
business  and  the  mode  of  conducting  it.  Handsome  shop 
fronts,  tastefully  « dressed"  and  exhibiting  all  kinds  of  fancy 
goods  and  more  substantial  articles  are  everywhere  conspicuous. 
Visitors  will  be  specially  struck  with  the  fine  appearance  and 
solidity  of  the  new  blocks,  erected  since  the  fire.  These,  in 
regard  to  architecture  and  internal  arrangements,  do  not  suflfer 
by  comparison  with  similar  establishment  in  any  other  city  of 
the  same  size.  The  thronged  shops  and  general  bustle  and 
activity  show  that  a  large  business  is  done  here.  A  visit  to 
one  or  more  of  the  large  fish  stores  in  the  rear  of  Water  Street 
and  to  the  oil  factories  on  the  south  side  of  the  harbor,  will 
well  repay  the  trouble  of  an  examination. 

By  making  St.  John's  headquarters,  the  tourist  can  enjoy 
many  delightful  excursions  by  vehicle,  or,  for  short  distances, 
on  foot.    Excellent  hotel  accommodation  can  be  obtained. 

Custom  House  officers  meet  steamers  on  arrival  to  examine 
and  pass  the  passengers'  luggage.  Cabs  also  meet  the  steamers 
and  trains.  Fare  to  hotel,  including  ordinary  luggage,  forty 
cents  to  fifty  cents.  For  an  ordinary  cab  drive  within  the  city, 
thirty  to  fifty  cents  ;  cabs  per  hour,  eighty  cents ;  per  day 
four  to  five  dollars. 


NEWFOUNDLAND.  iii 

Mail  wagons  run  to  Portugal  Cove  daily  in  summer, 
by-weekly  in  winter  ;  to  Broad  Cove  once  a  week  ;  Torbay  and 
Pouch  Cove  by-weekly ;  Renews  and  Ferryland  by-weekly. 

WALKS  AND  DRIVES. 
All  visitors  speedily  find  their  way  to  the  top  of  Signal 
Hill,  overlooking   the  narrows,  where   a   magnificent   view   is 
obtained.     It  can  be  reached  by  a  walk  of  half  an  hour,  or  by  a 
short  carriage  drive.     The  road  to  it,  starts  from  the  eastern 
end  of  Duckworth  Street.   At  the  height  of  350  feet,  two  small 
but  deep  lakes  are  passed.     When  the  summit— 520  feet — is 
reached,  if  the  day  be  clear,  a  noble  view  is  obtained.     On  one 
side  is  the  great  Atlantic,  «with  all  its  terror  and  mystery,)) 
stretching  away  eastward — not  a  rock  or  shoal  or  island  in  the 
great  expanse— till  the  Irish  coast  is  reached.     Looking  north- 
ward we  see  Sugar  Loaf,  Red  Head,  Loggie  Bay,  Torbay  and 
the  serrated  range  of  hills  on  the  south  shore  of  Conception 
Bay.    The  dark,  perpendicular  sea  wall  with  numerous  indenta- 
tions runs  up  to  Cape  St.  Francis.      A  fine  sweep  of  country, 
dotted  with  numerous  glittering  lakelets  and  farm  houses,  and 
fringed  with  sombre  groves  of  fir,  stretches  away  to  the  north- 
west.    The   great   chasm   which   forms   the   entrance  of  the 
harbor  is  seen  below,  guarded  by  precipitous  rock-masses.   The 
remains  of  the  batteries  which  once  commanded  the  narrow 
entrance,  are  visible  on  their  rocky  platform.     Fort  Amherst 
and  Cape  Spear  light-houses  and  Freshwater  Bay,  with  fisher- 
men's cottages,  are  seen  to  the  south.     A  bird's-eye  view  is 
presented  of  the  harbor  and  its  shipping,  with  the  whole  city 
lying  along  the  northern  slope,  crowned  by  the  Roman  Catholic 
Cathedral.     A   lower   peak   called    Gallows    Hill    stands    out 
prominently.     Here,  in  the  olden  times,  criminals  were  hanged 
in  sight  of  the  whole  city. 


Rev.  A.   Kobortson,  Prosbvterian. 


St.  Andrew's  Cluircli,  PresljytcTiii 


m. 


114  NEWFOUNDLAND. 

In  1762,  Signal  Hill  was  the  scene  of  a  brief  but  bloody 
struggle.  For  the  third  time  in  sixty-six  years  the  French  had 
got  possession  of  St.  John's.  Lord  ('olville  was  sent  from 
Halifax  with  a  squadron  to  drive  them  out.  (-olonel  Amherst 
landed  a  force  from  the  fleet  at  Torbay  and  marched  overland 
to  St.  John's.  Up  the  rugged  heights  from  (^uidi  Vidi  the 
British  soldiers  charged  to  capture  Signal  Hill,  the  key  of  the 
position.  The  French  fought  desperately,  and  having  a  great 
advantage  from  their  position,  succeeded  several  times  in 
repulsing  their  foes.  At  length  Captain  Macdonald,  leading  a 
company  of  Highlanders  with  fixed  bayonets,  dashed  up  the 
heights  and  swept  all  before  them.  The  brave  leader  and  his 
lieutenant  were  both  severely,  but  not  fatally,  wounded.  Signal 
Hill  being  won,  the  French  saw  that  all  was  lost.  Their  fleet 
managed  to  escape  by  creeping  out  of  the  harbor  in  a  thick 
fog.  The  English  lost  twenty  men  ;  the  French  loss  was  heavy, 
but  the  number  is  unknown.  St.  John's  never  again  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  French. 

The  foundation  stone  of  a  monument  to  John  Cabot,  the 
discoverer  of  the  island  in  1497,  was  laid  in  the  (Queen's  Jubilee 
year,  1897,  on  the  top  of  Signal  Hill.  It  is  in  the  form  of  a 
stately  tower  Called  « Cabot's  Tower,>»  and  is  a  handsome 
structure  on  a  noble  site.  It  has  been  turned  to  practical 
account  in  connection  with  the  signalling  of  vessels  at  sea. 

QUIDI  VIDI. 

Quidi  Vidi  is  a  second  interesting  drive  or  walk.  It  is  a 
picturesque  fishing  village.  The  road  to  it  leads  past  the 
penitentiary  and  hospital,  along  the  margin  of  the  pretty  little 
Quidi  Vidi  lake,  on  which  the  annual  regatta  is  held.  The 
village  is  a  typical  fishing  village  where  can  be  seen  in  perfec- 
tion the  stages  projecting  over  the  water  of  the  little  harbor, 


NEWFOUNDLAND.  115 

at  which  the  fishermen  land  their  fish,  and  the  Hakes  on  which 
the  cod  are  dried.  During  the  fishing  season  the  whole  process 
of  splitting,  heading  and  salting  can  be  seen.  The  small 
harbor  is  connected  with  the  ocean  by  a  narrow  gut  only  wide 
enough  for  fishing  boats.  All  around  rise  steep,  red  cliffs  in 
fantastic  shapes.  Very  frequently  an  iceberg  or  two  are 
grounded  close  by  the  mouth  of  the  little  harbor,  their  dazzlingly 
white  pinnacles  and  spires  contrasting  strikingly  with  the  dark, 
frowning  rocks.  These,  with  the  fishing  boats,  stages  and  fiakes, 
make  a  strikingly  characteristic  picture.  Artists  revel  in  the 
scenery  of  C^uidi  Vidi.  A  little  river  flowing  through  the  lake 
forms  a  pretty  cascade  as  it  tumbles  over  the  rocks  into  the 
harbor.  Visitors  will  enjoy  a  chat  with  the  sturdy  fishermen 
and  their  wives.  Their  insular  peculiarities,  linguistic  oddities 
and  quaint  views  of  things  form  an  interesting  study. 

LOGIE  Bay,  TORBAY,  POUCH  COVE. 

Another  delightful  drive  is  to  Torbay,  a  village  six  or  seven 
miles  from  St.  John's.  The  road  runs  to  the  north,  passing 
near  Virginia  Water,  a  pretty  little  lake  embosomed  in  woods 
and  abounding  in  trout.  Then  Logie  Bay — four  miles — is 
reached,  famous  for  its  grand  coast  scenery.  Outer  and 
Middle  Cove,  two  or  three  miles  farther  on,  are  scarcely  less 
remarkable  for  rocky  scenery.  Torbay  is  a  thriving  village, 
picturesque  in  situation,  having  a  handsome  Roman  Catholic 
Church,  a  convent,  excellent  school  rooms  and  a  large  public 
hall.  The  drive  may  be  extended  to  Pouch  Cove,  sixteen  miles 
from  St.  John's.  Along  this  iron-bound  coast  up  to  Cape  St. 
Francis,  at  the  entrance  of  Conception  Bay,  there  are  no 
pebbly  beaches  on  which  summer  waves  break  gently ;  but  there 
is  the  imposing  sight  of  perpendicular  cliffs,  300  feet  in 
height,  often  sculptured  into  forms  of  stern  beauty,  with  the 


Rov.    [.  'riKiL'kei'av, 


Coiijrrefs^atunial  Cluircli, 


nd  NEWFOUNDLAND. 

restless  Atlantic  washing  their  base  or  under  the  wing  of  the 
storm,  leai)ing  up  their  dark  sides. 

PORTIKJAL  (X)VE. 

Portugal  Cove,  nine  miles  from  St.  John's,  is  a  s])ot  which 
no  tourist  should  leave  unvisited.  The  road  is  excellent  and  for 
the  first  four  miles  i)resents  a  continual  ascent,  but  when  the 
height  of  land  is  reached,  if  the  day  be  clear,  a  s])lendid  pano- 
rama i)resents  itself.  Away  in  the  distance,  on  the  right,  is  the 
grand  old  ocean,  gently  heaving  under  the  summer  breeze.  A 
few  white  sails  are  visible,  and  perhaps  a  dozen  lonely  wanderers 
of  the  deep  that  were  born  of  (ireenland's  glaciers,  and  are  now 
towering  icebergs  sailing  past  to  meet  their  doom  in  the  warm 
waters  of  the  (4ulf  Stream.  The  whole  range  of  dark  cliffs  and 
headlands,  from  ('ape  S])ear  almost  to  the  entrance  of  (^once])- 
tion  Bay  is  visible  from  this  eminence.  Two  miles  further, 
Windsor  Lake  is  passed,  from  which  the  city  is  supi)lied  with 
water.  Then  comes  a  gradual  descent,  by  a  winding  road, 
through  a  little  valley  of  rare  beauty,  with  a  brook  flowing  at 
the  foot  of  its  encompassing  rocks,  till  at  a  sudden  turn  of 
the  road,  Conception  Bay,  in  all  its  beauty,  bursts  on  the  view. 
The  whole  scene  can  be  taken  in  at  a  glance — Belle  Isle, 
six  miles  long,  the  whole  range  of  the  northern  shore  of  the 
bay,  and  the  lonely  rocky  isle  of  Baccalieu,  dimly  visible  in  the 
distance.  Then  the  quaint  fishing  village  of  Portugal  Cove  is 
reached,  with  its  wooden  houses  nestling  amid  the  clefts  of  the 
rocks,  with  a  little  waterfall  tumbling  over  the  cliffs  into  the 
sea.  The  bold  navigator,  Cortereal,  discovered  and  named  this 
bay  in  1501,  and  named  the  roadstead  after  his  country. 

After  spending  an  hour  wandering  around  and  admiring 
the  great  overhanging  cliffs,  the  huge  boulders,  relics  of  the  ice 
age,  the  rugged  hills  all  scarred  by  frost  and  the  beating  storms 


NEWFOUNDLAND.  IIQ 

of  thouHunds  of  years,  the  tourist  can  then  hire  a  fisherman's 
boat  and  sail  to  P.eile  Island,  only  four  miles  distant  and  visit  the 
iron  mine,  jjerhaps  the  most  remarkable  in  the  world,  which  was 
oi)ened  here  two  years  ago.  A  delightful  walk  of  two  miles 
from  the  landing  place  brings  the  tourist  to  the  mine  which  is 
almost  at  the  ()})])osite  side  of  the  island.  Here  are  no  tall 
chimneys  belching  out  smoke  or  clanking  steam  engines,  but 
HOO  men  are  at  work  in  what  seems  an  open  quarry  on  the 
surface,  loosening  the  blocks  of  iron  ore  with  crowbars  and 
wedges  and  drilling  holes  for  dynamite,  while  others  are  filling 
long  rows  of  wagons  with  the  ore  which,  by  a  tramway,  is 
carried  to  the  shipping  place.  It  is  a  busy  scene.  The  iron 
deposit  here  is  three  miles  in  length  and  nearly  half  a  mile  in 
breadth.  The  ease  with  which  the  ore  is  mined  is  marvelous. 
No  shafts  are  needed;  it  is  an  open  qarry.  The  ore  has  this 
peculiarity,  that  when  loosened  from  its  bed,  it  falls  into 
rhombojddl  blocks,  none  of  which  exceed  a  foot  i:.  length, 
so  that  it  is  shoveled  into  the  wagons  like  pieces  of  anthracite 
coal. 

The  return  to  St.  John's  is  best  made  via  Broad  Cove  and 
the  Thorburn  road  which  aflfords  a  change  of  scene  and  many 
delightful  views. 

ST.  JOHN'S  TO  RENEWS,  CAPE  RACE. 

Another  pleasant  excursion  is  to  Renews,  Ferryland  and 
Cape  Race.  A  mail  wagon  plies  twice  a  week  to  Renews,  but 
tourists  will  find  it  much  more  comfortable  to  hire  a  carriage 
— farf;  about  $4  per  day.  The  road  is  good  and  the  views 
often  superb.  The  hotel  accommodation  is,  however,  very 
primitive,  and  it  is  advisible  to  start  with  a  well-filled  luncheon 
basket.  The  barrens  along  this  route  are  famous  for  partridge 
shooting,  the  season  for  which  begins  September  15th.     The 


I20 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


first  part  of  the  road  is  excellent  and  affords  many  beautiful 
views.  Blackhead  is  a  village  near  ('ape  Spear,  the  eastern- 
most point  of  North  America. 

Petty  Harbor,  nine  miles  from  St.  John's,  is  a  village  of 
about  a  thousand  inhalutants,  situated  at  the  mouth  of  a  deep 
ravine  through  which  flows  a  deep  stream  into  the  snug  little 
harbor,  fringed  with  fish-Hakes  and  shut  in  by  towering  preci- 


Xi.-\vf<iun(llaiKl  Trout. 

pices.  About  three  and  a  half  miles  from  Petty  Harbor  is  The 
Spout,  a  funnel-sha]ted  oi)ening  from  above  into  a  cavern  which 
the  sea  has  scooped  out.  In  stormy  weather,  the  sea  rushing 
into  the  cavern,  hurls  the  spray  and  foam  aloft  through  the 
opening,  presenting  a  curious  sight,  at  certain  times,  for  miles 
around. 


NEWFOUNDLAND.  121 

Beyond  Petty  Harbor  the  road  runs  along  the  so-called 
« straight  shore »  of  Avalon  to  P>ay  of  liulls,  twenty  miles  from 
St.  John's.  This  name  is  a  corruption  of  the  French  Bale  de 
l)()is.  Mobile  and  ('ai)e  Broyle  are  next  i)assed,  and  at  forty- 
four  miles  from  St.  John's,  Ferryland,  a  spot  having  historical 
associations,  is  reached.  The  little  town  has  about  r^^iO  inhabi- 
tants; was  founded  in  1624  l)y  Sir  (ieorge  ('alvert;  afterwards 
liOrd  IJaltimore,  who  built  a  fort  and  a  fine  mansion  in  which  he 
resided  for  some  years  with  his  family.  Here  too,  Sir  David 
Kirke  took  u])  his  residence  in  1688,  armed  with  the  j)owers  of 
a  County  Palatine  over  the  whole  island.  Fermeuse  is  a  village 
of  640  inhabitants;  Renews,  fifty-four  miles  from  St.  John's, 
has  a  population  of  540.  Ten  miles  south  of  Renews,  is  ('ape 
Race,  the  southeast  i)art  of  the  island,  the  ])lace  where  many  a 
gallant  ship  has  met  her  doom.  There  is  no  road  further  than 
Renews.  Round  the  grim  rocks  of  Cape  Race  swift,  conflicting 
currents  circle;  dark  fogs  brood  here  for  weeks  together,  so 
that  the  navigator  has  to  shai)e  his  course  mainly  by  the 
soundings.  In  recent  years  the  dangers  to  navigation  have 
l)een  greatly  lessened  by  the  erecti(m  of  a  j)owerful  fog-whistle 
on  the  cape.  The  light-house  is  180  feet  above  the  sea  level, 
and  when  the  weather  is  clear  it  is  visible  at  a  distance  of 
twenty  miles.  Fifty  miles  to  the  east  of  (\ipe  Race  are  the 
(Jreat  Banks  of  Newfoundland,  famous  for  their  cod  fisheries. 
They  are  about  600  miles  long  and  200  l»road,  while  the  depth 
of  water  over  them  ranges  from  ten  to  one  hundred  fathoms. 
Marine  life  of  all  kinds  is  abundant  on  the  Banks,  and  cod  and 
other  fish  resort  to  them  in  great  numbers.  The  fishermen  on 
the  Banks  who,  it  is  estimated,  number  100,000,  are  of  various 
nations,  and  ply  their  hard  labors  frequently  shrouded  in  dense 
fogs,  and  often  in  dangerous  proximity  to  icebergs.  They  have 
a  still  greater  danger  to  encounter — that  of  being  run  down 


122  NEWFOUNDLAND. 

in  foggy  weather  or  in  dark  nights  by  the  ocean  steamers  when 
crossing  these  Banks. 

EXCURSIONS   BY   SEA   FROM   ST.  JOHN'S. 

Excursions  })y  steamer  can  be  recommended  to  those  who 
enjoy  the  sea,  and  wish  to  make  ac(juaintance  with  the  various 
k;calities,  and  to  view  the  grand  coast  scenery  which  is  unsur- 
passed elsewhere.  Fine  steamers  make  fortnightly  trips  during 
summer  and  autumn,  one  line  taking  the  southern  and  western 
route,  and  the  other  the  northern  route  to  Battle  Harbor, 
Labrador,  touching  at  the  intermediate  ports.  The  vessels  are 
strongly  built  and  well  officered  ;  the  food  and  accommodations 
are  good.  Almost  the  entire  round  of  the  island  can  be  made 
in  these  steamers. 

The  round  trip  on  this  route  takes  about  ten  days  ;  the 
same  in  returning.  Those  who  prefer  it  can  land  at  any  one  of 
the  intermediate  ports  -  twenty-four  in  all — and  spend  a  few 
days  in  fishing,  sketching  or  photographing,  awaiting  the 
return  of  the  steamer.  After  making  a  call  at  Ferryland  the 
steamer  rounds  Cape  Race,  making  a  stop  at  Trepassey,  passes 
St.  Schotts,  where  many  a  mariner  has  gone  down,  « unknelled, 
uncoffined  and  unknown  ; »  then  enters  St.  Mary's  Bay,  calls  at 
Placentia  Bay  where  she  makes  four  calls.  Fortune  Bay  is  next 
reached,  noted  for  its  fine  herring  fishery  ;  the  French  islands 
of  St.  Pierre  and  Miquelon  being  visible  in  the  mouth  of  the  bay. 
Various  ports  are  touched  at  in  succession.  The  scenery  of 
Bay  D'Espoir — corrupted  into  Bay  Despair — and  of  Hermitage 
Bay,  is  pronounced  by  many  travelers  to  be  the  most  magnifi- 
cent in  the  island.  Burin,  Harbor  Briton,  Burgeo  and  Rose 
Blanche  are  most  picturesque  in  situation.  Artists  will  find 
here  the  most  striking  materials  on  which  to  work,  and  might 
spend  with  profit  many  weeks  studying  Nature's  varied  forms. 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


12-^ 


Passing  onward  the  steamer  reaches  I'ort-aiix-Basques,  a 
splendid  harbor,  deep  and  perfectly  sheltered,  destined  to  be 
a  place  of  great  imi)ortance  as  the  western  terminus  of  the 
trans-insular  railway.  Rounding  Cai)e  Ray  and  ('ai)e  Anguille, 
the  noble  Bay  of  St.  (ieorge  opens,  516  miles  from  St.  John's, 
having  a  population  of  6,632.     Its  shores  are  the  most  fertile 


^P% 

pi^^'l'^' 

BK£«Ki.^#<r    .>oJi            ^ 

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(■iiixormiuMU  Iliiusf. 

region  in  the  island.  Coal  and  other  minerals  are  abundant. 
Ninety-four  miles  farther  north  the  Bay  of  Islands  are  reached. 
It  has  three  arms  running  twenty  miles  inland,  one  of  which 
receives  the  Humber,  the  second  largest  river  in  the  Island. 
The  scenery  of  this  bay  is  spoken  of  by  travelers  as  superb. 
Forty  miles  farther  north  Bonne  Bay  is  entered.  If  anything 
it  is  even  more  magnificent  in  natural  beauty  than  the  Bay  of 


124  NEWFOUNDLAND. 

Islands.  It  is  usually  reached  by  the  steamer  in  five  or  six 
days  from  St.  John's.  On  the  return  trip  the  ports  of  call  are 
the  same  as  on  the  outward  trip.  Now  that  the  railway  is 
running,  tourists  can  leave  the  steamer  at  Port-aux-Bascjues, 
St.  George's  or  I'ay  of  Islands,  and  return  to  St.  John's  over 
the  line,  thus  obtaining  a  greater  variety  of  scenery  and  being 
able  to  gain  views  of  the  interior. 

ST.  JOHN'S  TO  BATTLE   HAUBOU— DISTANCE  500  MILES. 

A  steamer  leaves  St.  John's  every  ten  days  during  the 
summer  and  autumn  months,  for  Battle  Harbor,  Labrador, 
calling  at  intermediate  ports.  In  some  respects  this  trip  is  even 
more  enjoyable  than  that  previously  described.  Usually  it  is 
free  from  fog.  The  bright  sunshine,  the  noble  coast  scenery, 
the  frequent  stoppages  at  the  various  harbors,  breaking  the 
monotony  of  the  voyage,  and  affording  glimpses  of  the  people 
and  their  way  of  living  ;  the  great  bays  across  which  the 
steamer  ploughs  her  way  all  combine  to  render  the  excursion 
stimulating  and  pleasant.  Then  should  the  trip  include  the 
Labrador  coast,  strange,  wild  land  is  reached,  and  a  new  ex- 
perience gained  amid  its  icebergs  and  towering  cliffs,  and  its 
hardy  fisher-folk  gathering  in  the  sea  harvest  and  bjittling  with 
the  billows.  There  is  something  entirely  out  of  the  ordinary 
track  of  travelers  in  such  an  excursion.  All  is  fresh,  invigora- 
ting, "bracing  brain  and  sinew.» 

After  clearing  the  narrows  the  steamer  passes  Torbay 
Head,  ('ape  St.  Francis,  with  its  restless  waves  breaking  upon 
the  «  Brandies,"  as  the  outlaying  rocks  are  called  ;  the  mouth 
of  Conception  Bay ;  the  grim  cliffs  of  Baccalieu  Island,  the 
resort  of  myriads  of  sea  fowl  ;  the  great  bay  of  Trinity,  famous 
for  the  landing  of  the  first  Atlantic  cable  in  1858  ;  Bonavista 
Bay,  and  Twillingate,  a  prosperous  town  on  an  island  with  a 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


125 


Country  Mn'dijc. 


population  of  nearly  4,000,  is  reached  ;  distance  from  St.  John's 
232  miles.  Now  the  steamer  is  in  Notre  Dame  Bay,  the  famous 
copper  mining  region  and  its  iron  pyrites  mines. 

Pursuing  her  northern  route  the  steamer  at  length 
approaches  an  important  landmark — Cape  St.  John,  the  northern 
headland  of  Notre  Dame  Bay,  and  the  northeastern  terminus  of 
the  French  shore,  the  western  terminus  being  Cape  Ray.  From 
this  point  she  glides  along  a  vast  wall  of  rock  400  to  500  feet 
high,  the  summits  presenting  every  imaginable  shape  into 
which  rocks  can  be  torn  or  sculi)tured.  After  passing  Cape  St. 
John,  the  ports  touched  at  are  Coachman's  Cove,  Conche, 
(Iriquet,  and  then  Cape  Bauld  and  Cape  Norman,  the  most 
northern  part  of  the  island  are  i)assed.  The  straits  of  Belle 
Isle  are  crossed,  and  Belle  Isle,  a  barren,  treeless  island,  nine 
miles  long  and  three  broad,  is  passed.  Early  mariners  called  it 
«The  Isle  of  Demons,"  some  of  them  imagining  that  they  heard 
here  « a  great  clamor  of  men's  voices,  confused  and  inarticulate. 


126  NEWFOUNDLAND. 

such  as  are  heard  at  a  fair  or  market."  The  grinding  of  the 
iceflows  and  the  crash  of  the  lofty  bergs  during  a  gale  would 
be  quite  sufficient  to  give  rise  to  these  superstitious  fancies. 
After  passing  Belle  Isle,  l)attle  Harbor  is  soon  reached.  It  is 
a  great  resort  for  fishing  \  essels  during  the  summer  season. 
Here  is  an  excellent  hospital  erected  by  that  admirable  institu- 
tion «The  Mission  to  Deep  Sea  Fishermen »  (London).  There  is 
a  second  hospital  at  Indian  Harbor,  both  being  well  equipped 
and  having  doctors  and  trained  nurses. 

Some  20,000  persons,  chieHy  from  Newfoundland,  spend 
the  fishing  season  on  Labrador,  a  considerable  number  of  them 
being  women  and  children,  as  the  fishermen  carry  their  families 
with  them  in  many  cases.  They  live  in  rude,  temi)orary  huts 
on  shore,  or  on  board  the  fishing  crafts,  exposed  to  many  hard- 
ships and  perils.  Many  cases  of  sickness  and  severe  injuries 
occur,  and  the  medical  aid  formerly  available  was  of  a  very 
imperfect  character.  The  attention  of  The  Deep  Sea  Mission 
having  been  called  to  the  condition  of  the  migratory  and  resi- 
dent poimlation,  a  mission  was  commenced  in  1892.  The  result 
has  been  the  erection  of  the  h()si)itals  above  referred  to.  In 
additi(m  to  these  a  doctor  in  the  steam  yacht  Sir  Donald, 
traverses  the  coast  during  the  fishing  season,  ministering  to  the 
sick,  relieving  the  poor  with  donations  of  food  and  clothing, 
and  carrying  severe  cases  to  the  hospitals,  in  which  service  she 
is  aided  by  the  little  steamer  Princess  May.  In  winter  one  of 
the  doctors  traverses  the  coast  in  a  kometeck  drawn  by  dogs, 
braving  the  perils  of  cold,  ice  and  snow,  in  order  to  bring  help 
to  the  poor  and  the  sick.  This  noble  mission  is  doing  much 
good  and  derives  its  support  from  the  people  of  England. 
There  are  also  many  helpers  in  ('anada  and  Newfoundland. 

With  superior  accommodation  the  number  of  tourists  to 
Labrador  may  be  expected  to  increase  greatly. 


CHAITER   XI. 

ALONG   THE   RAILWAY. 

The  first  through  train  carrying  mails  and  passengers  left 
St.  John's  July  24th  and  Port-aux-Hasques  July  27,  1898.  It 
is  the  grand  trunk  line  of  Newfoundland  and  traverses  the 
entire  island,  opening  up  the  moj:t  important  farming,  lumber- 
ing and  mining  districts.  It  is  the  connecting  link  between 
Canada  and  the  United  States  and  Newfoundland,  and  will  be 
the  main  artery  of  communication  between  the  island  and  the 
North  American  Continent.  It  involves  a  sea  ])assage  of  but 
six  hours,  across  Cabot  Strait  from  North  Sydney  (C.  B.)  to 
Port-aux-Basques,  distance  ninety-three  miles,  in  a  swift  and 
well-equipped  steamer.  By  this  route  the  insular  disadvantages 
of  the  island  are  reduced  to  a  minimum.  In  increasing  numbers 
travelers,  tourists,  health-seekers  and  sportsmen  will  find  their 
way  to  this  almost  newly-discovered  country,  attracted  by  the 
salubrity  of  the  climate,  the  beauty  of  the  scenery,  the  novelty 
of  Nature's  aspects  and  the  abundance  of  the  game.  The  line 
is  solidly  built;  the  rails  heavy  and  of  the  best  material;  the 
bridges  and  culverts  of  granite  and  steel.  The  passenger  cars  are 
of  the  same  style  as  those  on  the  Canadian  Pacific  Railway,  the 
first-class  being  dining  and  sleeping,  fitted  up  with  every  atten- 
tion to  comfort.  The  second-class  passengers  have  also  sleep- 
ing and  dining  cars.  Nothing  has  been  left  undone  to  render 
the  line  popular  and  attractive.  In  addition  to  operating  the 
railway  the  contractor  is  to  run  steamers  of  a  superior  class  on 
the  principal  bays  to  connect  with  the  railway,  thus  linking  to- 
gether the  various  centres  of  population  and  rendering  the  fine 


I2S 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


scenery  of  those  bays  accessible  to  tourists.  Hotels  will  be 
erected  for  the  accommodation  of  visitors  in  the  most  attrac- 
tive centres. 

The  S.  S.  «  Bruce  »  is  a  noteworthy  steamer,  specially  built 
for  this  service  at  a  cost  of  $2r)(),()()().  Her  fittings,  berths, 
saloon,  etc.,  are  not  inferior  to  those  of  a  ( -unarder.     Nothinjij  is 


S.  S.  "Hrucu"  at   I'oil-aux-Hasciuos. 


left  undone  to  ensure  the  comfort  of  passengers.  Her  steam 
power,  in  proportion  to  her  size,  is  very  great,  so  that  she  makes 
fifteen  knots  per  hour.  She  is  specially  fitted  to  encounter  ice, 
having  a  perfectly  solid  bow  and  sheathed  throughout.  In  the 
winter  of  1897-98  North  Sydney  Harbor  was  covered  with  ice 
two  feet  thick,  but  she  made  her  way  through  it  without  an 


NEWFOUNDLAND.  i'j<, 

effort,  to  the  astonishment  of  those  who  witnessed  the  i)erforni- 
ance  of  « the  ice  crusher,*)  as  she  is  called. 

On  reaching  Port-aux-Basques,  a  small  but  safe  harbor 
open  all  the  year  round,  passengers  are  transferred  to  the  train 
which  moves  along  the  first  nine  miles  to  Cape  Ray,  through  a 
rugged  track  of  rocky  barrens.  Then  passing  behind  the 
Auguille  hills  it  enters  the  fine  valley  of  ( -odroy,  noted  for  its 
fertility,  forty  miles  in  length  with  a  width  of  ten  to  twelve 
miles,  having  about  70,000  acres  of  good  land,  as  yet  but 
partially  settled.  Codroy — twenty-nine  miles  -Robinsons  and 
Fischel's  stations  are  passed  and  St.  (Jeorge's  I^ay  station — 
eighty-nine  miles — is  reached.  This  fine  bay,  destined  to  be 
the  garden  of  the  island,  is  noted  for  its  beautiful,  fertile,  well- 
wooded  valleys;  its  asbestos,  lead,  iron  and  gypsum  deposits, 
and  its  coal  field,  twenty-five  miles  by  twenty.  Petroleum 
wells  have  been  opened  lately  at  Port-au-Port.  Pay  of  Islands 
is  141  miles  from  Port-aux-P>asques.  Here  the  Humber, 
the  second  largest  river  in  the  island,  discharges  its  waters 
into  the  sound,  an  arm  of  the  bay.  The  scenery  of  this  bay  is 
magnificent,  and  its  praises  have  been  sounded  by  many 
travelers  from  other  lands.  From  it  the  Humber  River  can  be 
ascended,  on  which  are  some  of  the  finest  specimens  of  scenic 
beauty,  unsurpassed  even  on  the  Hudson  or  the  Rhine,  and  are 
now  attracting  tourists  from  all  quarters.  At  points  along 
the  river  great  marble  and  limestone  cliflFs  rise  almost  perpen- 
dicularly to  the  height  of  2,000  feet,  the  rushing  current  hav- 
ing cut  a  succession  of  caves  in  their  great  marble  walls. 
Along  the  river  the  over-hanging  rocks  and  trees,  the  moun- 
tains towering  on  each  hand;  the  swiftly  flowing,  but  silent, 
river  all  contribute  to  form  a  scene  rarely  surpassed.  The 
Bay  of  Islands  is  sure  to  become  a  favorite  summer  resort. 
The  scenic  beauties,  the  unrivaled  opportunities  for   fishing— 


t3o  NKWFOIINDLANI). 

salmon  and  trout  the  splendid  climate  in  summer,  the  air  of 
the  plateau  heinj;  intoxicating,  and  the  deer-stalking  about  the 
shores  of  (Irand  Lake,  all  unite  in  rendering  it  attractive  to 
tourists.  From  the  train,  as  it  glides  along,  charming  views 
are  obtained  of  the  I  lumber. 

Travelers  by  the  train  will  be  struck  with  the  fact  that 
scarcely  a  house  is  seen  after  leaving  Codroy  till  Bay  St. 
George  is  reached,  a  distance  of  sixty  miles.  Then  an  unin- 
habited wilderness  of  fifty  miles  is  passed  through  till  Bay  of 
Islands  is  reached.  Here  the  line  takes  a  southeasterly  direc- 
tion, but  the  paucity  of  houses  continues  till  within  seventy  or 
eighty  miles  of  St.  John's.  This  admits  of  easy  explanation. 
The  population  of  the  island  i  ettled  along  the  shores,  mainly 
engaged  in  fishing.  Until  now  the  interior  has  been  a  terra 
incognita.  The  railway  has  been  built  to  promote  settlement 
and  open  up  the  country  for  industrial  enterprise.  The  rail- 
way precedes  settlement  and  makes  it  comparitively  easy.  The 
mineral  wealth,  the  timber,  the  good  lands,  the  marble  quarries 
and  coal  beds  amply  Justify  the  construction  of  the  railway 
and  the  development  of  these  resources  will  transform  these 
unpeopled  wastes  into  the  smiling  homes  of  men  in  the  not 
distant  future.  The  enterprise  and  energy  of  the  colony  in 
constructing  this  line  at  a  cost  of  some  $17,000,000  will  yet 
be  amply  rewarded. 

At  Deer  Lake  station,  172  miles  from  Port-aux-Basques, 
the  valley  of  the  Humber  widens  and  spreads  out  in  several 
directions.  Its  whole  area  is  estimated  at  800  square  miles, 
much  of  it  being  cultivable,  the  soil  rich  and  the  timber 
abundant.  It  is  also  valuable  for  its  great  marble  quarries. 
Several  pi(meer  farmers  have  settled  on  Deer  Lake  and  appear 
to  prosper. 

Grand  Lake,  183  miles  from  Port-aux-Basques,  is  fifty-six 


NKWFOIINDLANI). 


»3> 


miles  long  and  five  miles  in  breadth,  with  an  island  twenty-two 
miles  long  near  its  western  extremity.  The  country,  for  miles 
around  it,  is  clothed  with  fine  forest  growths. 

The  materials  for  wood  pulp  are  here  in  a  combination 
which  it  would  be  difticult  to  parallel  in  any  other  country 
in   the  world.     The   timber   is   of   the  best  quality  for  pulp- 


S.  S.  "Bruce"  at  IMacentia. 

making,  and  by  replanting,  as  the  work  goes  on,  the  area  is 
literally  inexhaustible.  Coal  mines  are  close  at  hand ;  unlimited 
water  power;  the  marble  of  the  Humber  valley  will  supply 
lime  to  any  extent,  while  to  crown  all,  at  Bay  of  Islands,  are 
enormous  masses  of  iron  pyrites  containing  fifty  per  cent,  of 
sulphur  from  which  sulphuric  acid  can  be  made,  an  essential 


132  NKWFOIINDLANI). 

element  in  manufacturing  the  finest  kinds  of  paper  pulp.  With 
such  a  combination  of  advantages  it  is  reasonable  to  expect  a 
great  success.  A  thriving  town,  it  may  be  anticipated,  will 
spring  up  here  and  the  solitudes,  hitherto  the  domains  of  the 
deer,  the  fox  and  the  wolf,  will  be  resounding  with  the  din  of 
human  labor.  The  natural  beauties  of  Grand  Lake  are  very 
striking,  especially  the  cascades  of  which  there  are  more  than 
a  hundred  on  its  shores  and  (m  the  great  island.  Deer  are 
abundant  on  the  plateaus  overlooking  the  lake,  also  in  the 
neighboring  Whitehill  Plains. 

The  line  now  i)asses  along  Kitty's  Valley  203  miles  and 
Gaff  Topsail  is  reached  -21 H  miles  the  watershed  between 
Exploits  and  Grand  Lake,  the  highest  point  on  the  railway, 
1,700  feet  above  the  sea — «the  roof  of  the  island,»  as  it  is 
called  being  its  most  elevated  plateau.  Protruding  through 
this  roof  are  three  remarkable  granite  eminences  called  « The 
Topsails"  -detached  masses  of  granite  springing  from  the 
plateau  to  a  considerable  height.  All  around  are  bare  granite 
ridges,  and  huge  boulders  of  granite  strew  the  surface.  Here 
quarries  have  been  opened,  the  quality  of  the  granite  being 
excellent. 

The  train  now  enters  the  great  valley  of  the  Exploits,  con- 
taining much  fertile  soil  and  good  timber.  In  summer,  wooded 
hills,  with  their  dark  green  foliage  and  wild  flowers  of  various 
hues  on  the  level  places  along  the  track,  make  a  charming 
scene.  The  stations  along  the  valley  are  Caribou,  224  miles  ; 
St.  Patrick's  Brook,  231  miles ;  Winter,  Dawe,  252  miles  ; 
McCallum,  268  miles  ;  Bishop's  Falls,  280  miles,  and  Exploits, 
292  miles  on  Norris's  Arm,  Notre  Dame  Bay  is  reached.  The 
scenery  here  is  exceedingly  fine.  The  river  is  crossed  by  a 
splendid  iron  bridge,  having  a  span  of  250  feet.  The  course  of 
the  line  is  now  southerly,  and  at  Glenwood — 316  miles— crosses 


NKWFOIINDLAND.  t33 

the  Gander  River,  which  Hows  through  the  finest  lumbering 
region  in  the  irtiund.  Here  and  at  IJenton  H12  miles  and 
(iambo  85(5  miles  are  several  lumbering  establishments. 
The  Gambo  is  crossed  by  a  steel  bridge  240  feet  long,  resting 
on  piers  of  solid  masonry.  The  Gambo  River  and  lake  of  the 
same  name  abound  in  trout  and  salmon,  and  the  surrounding 
country  in  deer  and  other  game. 

Passing  Alexander,  Terra  Nova,  881  miles  ;  Clode  Sound, 
Thorburn  Lake,  Shoal  Harbor,  412  miles  ;  Glarenville  Station 
is  reached,  416  miles.  Here  again  the  line  touches  salt  water, 
the  scenery  being  very  fine.  Port  Blandford  is  on  ('lode  Soun<l, 
an  arm  of  Bonavista  Bay.  Sea  bathing  is  to  be  had  here  in 
perfection,  and  it  is  likely  to  become  a  favorite  watering-place. 
Salmon  and  trout  abound  in  the  neighboring  streams. 

The  stations  from  CMarenville  to  Whitbourne  are  Northern 
Bight ;  Whiteway,  443  miles  ;  Arnold,  La  Manche,  Rantem,  458 
miles ;  Tickle  Harbor,  Placentia  Junction,  Whitbourne,  449 
miles.  From  Whitbourne,  the  train  runs  to  St.  John's,  distance 
57|  miles,  by  Holyrood  and  the  shore  of  Conception  Bay. 

ST.  JOHN'S  TO  HARBOR  GRACE. 

The  distance  from  St.  John's  to  Carbonear  via  Brigus 
Branch  is  88|  miles.  The  scenery  along  this  line  is  very 
attractive  and  the  tourist  should  not  omit  to  make  the  excur- 
sion. Topsail — 15  miles— is  a  pretty  village  on  the  shore  of 
Conception  Bay,  with  comfortable  boarding-houses.  It  is  a 
favorite  summer  and  bathing  resort,  and  has  been  somewhat 
ambitiously  styled  «The  Brighton  of  Newfoundland. »  Holy- 
rood — 33  miles  -at  the  head  of  the  bay  presents  some  striking 
scenery,  especially  in  its  sea  arms.  Indeed,  the  scenery  of  the 
whole  bay  from  Topsail,  where  it  first  comes  into  view,  can 


<LI 

y 

O 

u 

o 

m 
X 


NEWFOUNDLAND.  i35 

scarcely  be  surpassed.  The  thriving  little  town  of  Brigus, 
picturesquely  situated  among  the  rocks,  with  a  population  of 
1,540,  is  55  miles  from  St.  John's.  The  remaining  stations 
are  Clark's  Beach,  61  miles  ;  Bay  Roberts,  65  miles  ;  Spaniards 
Bay,  68  miles  ;  Harbor  ({race,  75  miles  ;  Carbonear,  83|  miles. 
Harbor  Grace,  the  second  town  of  the  island — 7,054  population 
— is  a  clean,  well-built  place,  finely  situated  and  a  centre  for 
shipping.  Its  trade  was  formerly  much  larger  than  at  present. 
The  handsome  Roman  Catholic  Cathedral,  which  was  destroyed 
by  fire  four  years  ago,  has  been  rebuilt.  The  process  of 
packing  boneless  codfish,  tinning  caplin  and  making  refined  cod 
liver  oil  can  be  seen  here.  Carbonear,  3,756  population,  is  a 
neat,  thriving  place  with  a  fine  harbor.  A  carriage  drive  of 
sixteen  miles,  from  Carbonear  to  Heart's  Content  on  Trinity 
Bay,  will  be  found  enjoyable.  This  is  the  western  terminus  of 
the  Anglo-American  Company's  cables. 

ST.  JOHN'S  TO  PLACENTIA  BY  RAILWAY, 

No  tourist  should  fail  to  pay  a  visit  to  Placentia — the  old 
French  capital — one  of  the  most  interesting  places  in  the 
island,  not  only  on  account  of  its  historic  associations,  but  for 
the  exquisite  beauty  of  its  scenery,  especially  along  the  arms  of 
the  sea,  one  of  which  runs  ten  miles  inland.  In  July  these  arms 
abound  in  sea  trout ;  and  with  the  salmon  and  river  trout 
make  the  place  a  paradise  to  the  angler.  The  walks  and  drives 
about  Placentia  are  delightful  and  in  its  scenic  beauty  the 
artist  will  find  much  of  interest. 

The  route  is  the  same  as  to  Harbor  Grace  as  far  as  Whit- 
bourne  Junction,  57|  miles  from  St.  John's.  \.t  Placentia 
Junction,  64|  miles,  the  line  diverges  to  the  left  and  runs 
southwest  past  Ville  Marie,  781  miles,  to  Placentia,  S4|  miles 


136  NEWFOUNDLAND. 

from  St.  John's.  Board  can  be  had  at  a  moderate  rate.  The 
town,  5,362  population,  has  a  (juaint  appearance,  being  built 
along  a  shingly  beach.  It  was  founded  and  fortified  by  the 
French  in  16(50,  and  held  by  them  till  1713.  The  remains  of 
the  oldest  Protestant  ('hurch  in  the  island — Church  of  England 
— are  here,  but  in  a  most  delapidated  state.  To  this  church 
belongs  a  handsome  communion  service  of  silver  in  five  pieces, 
presented  by  William  IV.  when,  as  a  midship  in  the  « Segasus,)) 
he  visited  Placentia.  It  is  carefully  preserved  and  shown  to 
visitors.  It  bears  the  inscription:  "  Given  by  His  Royal  High- 
ness, Prince  William  Henry,  to  the  Protestant  Chapel  at 
Placentia,  Newfoundland.))  There  are  strong  reasons  for 
believing  that  this  church  was  built  soon  after  the  Treaty  of 
Utrecht,  1713  ;  so  that  this  humble  wooden  structure  has 
braved  the  storms  of  probably  186  years.  On  one  of  its  old 
tombstones  is  an  inscription  in  the  Basque  language,  the 
Basques  having  been  among  the  earliest  fishermen  on  the  coast. 
The  old  Court  House,  close  to  the  church,  contains  some  curios- 
ities. Other  objects  of  interest  are  Castle-  Hill,  with  remains 
of  the  French  fortifications;  Point  Verde,  three  miles,  and  Lilly 
White  Pond,  famous  for  its  trout.  A  steamer  plies  on  the  bay, 
affording  a  charming  trip  in  fine  weather.  On  the  shores  are 
La  Manche,  lead  and  silver  mine  and  Silver  Clitf  mine. 

A  most  beautiful  drive  to  Salmonier — an  arm  of  St.  Mary's 
Bay,  some  twenty-five  miles  distant  affords  many  varied  and 
picturesque  views.  In  the  season  excellent  salmon  fishing  can 
be  had  at  Salmonier  which  can  also  be  reached  by  wagon  from 
Holyrood,  Conception  Bay. 


CHAPTER    XII. 

GAME. 

That  Newfoundland  presents  to  the  lovers  of  sport  attrac- 
tions such  as  few  other  countries  possess; is  admitted  by  all  who 
have  given  it  a  trial.  Its  countless  lakes  and  lakelets  abound 
in  trout  of  the  finest  description,  and  these  are  also  the  abodes 
of  the  wild  goose,  the  wild  duck  and  other  fresh  water  fowl. 
The  willow  grouse  or  ptarmigan,  the  rock  ptarmigan,  the 
curlew,  the  ploar,  the  snipe  are  found  in  their  proper 
season  in  many  parts  of  the  the  island,  on  the  great  « barrens,)) 
or  in  the  marshy  grounds  in  immense  numbers.  The  sea 
pigeons  and  guillemots  are  seen  all  around  the  shores 
and  adjacent  islands.  The  large  Arctic  hare  and  the  North 
American  hare,  called  erroneously  by  the  natives  « a  rabbit,)) 
are  to  be  met  with,  especially  the  latter,  in  great  abundance. 
The  North  American  hare  has  spread  over  every  part  of  the 
island,  and  in  the  fall  and  winter  form  an  important  item  in  the 
food  of  the  working  classes. 

Above  all,  the  noble  caribou,  or  deer,  in  vast  herds  traverse 
the  island  in  their  periodical  migrations  and  furnish  the  highest 
prizes  for  the  sportsman.  Finer  salmon  streams  than  those  of 
the  island  naturally  are,  or  rather  were,  could  not  be  found 
elsewhere,  but,  unfortunately,  they  have  been  left  unprotected 
so  long  that  many  have  been  seriously  injured.  During  the 
last  eight  years,  however,  the  Department  of  Fisheries  have 
placed  them  under  stringent  rules  and  regulations  and  employed 
wardens  who  patrol  the  streams  during  the  salmon  season.  It 
is   confidently  anticii)ated   that   in   a  few  years  they  will  be 


138 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


^Idimtaiii  t'litVs. 


restored  to  their  former  abundance.  Even  now  there  are  sal- 
mon rivers  where  the  angler  may  find  excellent  sport.  For 
more  adventurous  sportsmen  there  are  the  black  bear  and  the 
wolf  in  the  interior,  while  the  beaver  and  otter  are  found  there 
around  the  lonely  lakes  and  ponds.  Now  that  these  sporting 
regions  are  rendered  more  accessible  by  the  railways,  sportsmen 
are  arriving  in  increasing  numbers,  especially  from  the  United 
States  and  C'anada,  and  these  spread  the  fame  of  the  island 
far  and  wide  as  a  sporting  country. 

The  caribou,  or  reindeer,  are  finer  than  those  of  Norway 
or  Lapland,  being  much  larger  and  carrying  much  finer  horns. 
Big  stags  have  often  been  shot  weighing  from  500  to  (JOO  lbs. 
The  antlers  of  the  stag  are  palmated,  sweeping  backward  and 
of  magnificent  proportions,  the  brow  antlers  in  some,  meeting 
over  the  nose.  These  horns  are  shed  in  November.  Their 
migrations  are  as  regular  as  the  seasons,  from  the  south  where 
they  pass  the  winter  to  the  northwestern  portion  of  the  island 
where   they   feed   and   bring   forth   their  young.     When  the 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


1 39 


October  frosts  begin  to  nip  the  vej]jetation  they  turn  towards 
the  south  and  repeat  their  h)ng  march.  September  and 
October  are  the  months  for  shooting.  Some  knowledge  of  the 
country  and  the  assistance  of  a  Mic  Mac  Indian  or  two  is 
desirable.  There  are  favorite  grounds  known  to  the  initiated 
and  to  the  Indian  guides  where  deer-stalking  can  be  enjoyed  to 
perfection.  One  of  these  is  «the  barrens,"  overlooking  Grand 
Lake  opposite  the  north  end  of  the  island.  Here  they  collect 
in  large  numbers  before  setting  out  on  their  southern  migra- 
tion. The  « White  Hills  >»  is  another  favorite  stalking  ground. 
Inland  from  the  various  settlements  on  the  southern  shore,  in 
the  late  autumn  and  early  winter  great  numbers  of  deer  are 
slain.  Lord  Dunraven,  the  great  sportsman,  says  in  The 
Nineteenth  Century:  « The  (^aribou  are  plentiful  and  the  New- 
foundland stags  are  finer  by  far  than  any  to  be  found  in  the 
North  American  Continent.  Fur  is  plentiful;  wild  fowl  and 
grouse  abundant,  and  the  creeks  and  rivers  are  full  of  salmon 


■IK^:    si^^ '  '^VnKjfli 

■'      ■    -^^pr^  ■        '    '           ...    it .                                                                 .      ■     ■       ' 

^rid-SumiiuT  Oiitinjif. 


HO  NEWFOUNDLAND. 

and  trout.))  Captain  Hardy,  in  Forest  Life  in  Acadia,  says: 
« I  know  of  no  country  so  near  England  which  offers  the  same 
amount  of  inducement  to  the  explorer,  naturalist  or  sportsman, 
as  Newfoundland.  The  caribou  are  scattered  over  an  area  of 
some  25,000  square  miles  of  unbroken  wilderness,  more  or  less 
abundantly.))  There  are  large  areas  entirely  unfit  for  cultiva- 
tion but  admirably  adapted  for  the  support  of  deer,  and  here, 
with  due  protection,  will  be,  for  years  to  come,  the  finest  deer 
park  in  the  world. 

The  close  time  for  willow  grouse  (partridge)  begins 
January  12,  ends  September  15th  in  any  year.  Curlew,  plover, 
snipe,  close  season  is  from  January  12th  to  August  20th. 

For  otters,  1st  April  to  1st  October.  For  rabbits  and 
hares,  1st  March  to  15th  September.  For  salmon,  from  11th 
September  to  30th  April.  For  trout,  char,  whitefish,  land- 
locked salmon,  10th  September  to  15th  January  next,  following. 

For  caribou,  1st  February  to  15th  July,  and  from  7th 
October  to  20th  October.  License  to  kill  caribou,  $100  for  non- 
residents of  the  Colony.  Not  more  than  three  stags  and  two 
does  to  be  killed  per  season  by  one  person. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

THE  FRENCH  SHORE  QUESTION. 

Among  Great  Britain's  forty  colonies  the  position  of  New- 
foundland is,  in  one  respect,  unique.  The  sovereignty  of  the 
entire  territory  belongs  exclusively  to  Britain,  but  the  French, 
since  the  year  1713,  have  had  the  right  of  fishing  along  more 
than  half  the  shores  of  the  island,  and  of  using  that  portion  of 
the  coast  for  such  purposes  as  may  be  necessary  in  curing  and 
drying  fish.  In  addition  to  this  important  privilege  the  French 
have  had  ceded  to  their  possession  two  small  islands  at  the 
entrance  of  Fortune  Bay,  as  a  shelter  for  their  fishermen,  the  only 
condition  attached  to  the  possession  of  them  being  that  no  fortifi- 
cations should  be  erected.  The  line  of  coast  to  which  these 
treaty  rights  apply  extends  from  Cape  Ray  around  the  western, 
northern  and  northeastern  shores  as  far  south  as  Cape  St.  John, 
being  fullly  half  the  entire  coast  of  the  island,  and  by  far  the 
most  valuable  and  fertile  portion. 

The  French  have  no  right  to  occupy  permanently  or  settle 
any  portion  of  the  shore,  or  erect  any  building  except  such  huts 
and  scaffolds  as  may  be  necessary  for  curing  and  drying  their 
fish.  Their  fishermen  are  not  allowed  to  winter  in  the  island. 
The  concessions  were  first  made  to  the  French  by  the  Treaty  of 
Utrecht,  1713,  and  confirmed  and  extended  by  the  Treaty  of 
Paris,  1763,  and  that  of  Versailles,  1783,  and  finally  by  the 
second  Treaty  of  Paris,  1815.  The  eflfect  of  these  treaties  on 
the  progress  of  the  colony  has  been  disastrous.  Had  this  great 
stretch  of  coast  not  been  practically  locked  up  by  these  treaties 
it  would  have  been  long  since  occupied  by  a  fishing,  farming, 


142  NEWFOUNDLAND. 

mining  and  luml)ering  population  and  thriving  towns  and  villages 
would  have  sprung  up  along  its  entire  extent. 

For  more  than  a  century  a  serious  difference  of  opinion  has 
existed  between  England  and  France  as  to  the  interpretation  of 
these  treaties,  the  language  of  which  is  often  obscure.  The 
French  contend  that  the  treaties  give  them  the  exclusive  right 
to  the  fisheries,  and  also  the  use  of  the  shore,  so  that  British 
subjects  cannot  lawfully  fish  within  those  limits  or  occupy  the 
land  for  any  purpose.  Were  this  contention  well  founded  it 
would  close  up  the  best  half  of  the  island  against  its  use  by 
British  subjects,  in  order  that  along  a  coast  450  miles  in  length 
a  few  French  fishermen  might,  during  three  or  four  months  of 
the  year,  catch  and  dry  a  few  cargoes  of  codfish.  But  as  the 
French  cannot  use  the  land  except  for  one  purpose,  their  dog- 
in-the-manger  policy  would  prevent  either  party  from  turning 
the  land  to  practical  account. 

England,  however,  and  her  subjects  in  the  colony  have 
always  repudiated  this  interpretation  of  the  treaties  and  main- 
tained that  they  have  a  concurrent  right  of  fishing  wherever 
they  no  not  interfere  with  the  operations  of  French  fishermen, 
and,  moreover,  that  they  have  a  right  to  settle  on  the  land  and 
develop  its  resources.  In  point  of  fact  11,000  fishermen, 
British  subjects,  are  now  settled  on  the  treaty  shore.  Magis- 
trates have  been  appointed  and  law  courts  established  and 
customs  duties  collected,  and,  as  a  necessary  sequel,  these 
British  subjects  elected  three  members  to  represent  them  in  the 
Legislature.  This,  of  course,  has  complicated  matters,  con- 
siderably and  a  condition  exists  which  constantly  imperils  the 
peace  of  the  two  nations.  The  French  stubbornly  insist  on 
their  rights  and  refuse  to  arbitrate. 

Four  or  five  years  ago  a  fresh  complication  arose  about 
taking  and  canning  lobsters.     The  French  claim  a  right  to  take 


'44  NEWFOUNDLAND. 

lobsters,  of  which  there  is  no  mention  whatever  in  the  treaties. 
Many  attempts  have  been  made  to  arrange  these  difficulties,  but 
all  proved  abortive.  At  present  a  modus  vivendi  has  been 
agreed  on  which  soon  terminates.  At  the  request  of  the 
Government  of  Newfoundland  the  Imperial  Government  in  1898 
sent  out  a  Royal  Commission  to  investigate  matters.  They 
have  reported  the  result  of  their  inquiries. 

The  conviction  has  taken  deep  root  in  the  minds  of  the 
colonists  that  there  will  be  no  solution  of  these  grievances  till 
the  French  claims  on  the  shores  of  the  island  are  wiped  out, 
whether  by  purchase  or  exchange  of  territory.  There  can  be 
no  doubt  that  the  new  line  of  railway  is  destined  to  be  an 
important  factor  in  the  settlement  of  this  question.  Once 
these  solitudes  are  peopled  by  a  busy,  thriving  population, 
farming,  fishing,  lumbering,  mining  and  pulp-making,  the  French 
fishermen  will  find  there  .is  no  room  for  them  and  the  pale 
ghosts  of  the  old  treaties  will  vanish  forever. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE  FRENCH  ISLANDS. 

The  islands  of  St.  Pierre  and  Miquelon  were  ceded  by 
Great  Britain  to  France  by  the  Treaty  of  Paris,  17()3,  was  a 
shelter  for  her  fishermen.))  They  are  situated  at  the  mouth  of 
Fortune  Bay,  about  thirteen  miles  from  the  Peninsula  of  Burin, 
the  nearest  point  of  Newfoundland,  and  about  equi-distant,  135 
miles,  from  Cape  Race  and  Cape  Ray.  A  French  steamer,  the 
«  Pro  Patria, ))  plies  fortnightly  between  St.  Pierre  and  Sydney. 
There  is  no  other  means  of  communication.  The  island  of  St. 
Pierre  is  about  seven  miles  long  and  five  in  width.  Great 
Miquelon  Island  is  twelve  miles  long  and  is  connected  by  a  sandy 
isthmus  with  Little  Miquelon,  or  Langlade  Island,  which  is 
about  the  same  size.  St.  Pierre  is  by  far  the  most  important, 
containing  the  capital  and  the  only  good  harbor.  The  two 
islands  contain  a  resident  population  of  6,247,  of  whom  5,703 
are  in  St.  Pierre. 

The  Bank  fishery  carried  on  from  here  is  of  great  import- 
ance, providing  France  with  an  important  part  of  her  fish  food 
supply.  The  average  annual  export  of  cod  from  the  islands  is 
70,000,000  pounds,  and  the  number  of  fishermen  employed  is 
between  5,000  and  6,000.  Vegetation  on  the  islands  is  of  the 
poorest  description,  only  a  few  garden  vegetables  being  grown. 

The  town  of  St.  Pierre  (Hotel  Joinville,  International 
Hotel),  which  lies  on  the  east  side  of  the  island,  is  the  seat  of 
the  Governor,  and  is  the  landing  place  of  the  two  trans-Atlantic 
cables.  During  the  fishing  season  it  presents  a  very  busy 
aspect,   its   roadstead   often    containing   hundreds   of  fishing 


'4^'  NRWFOITNDLANI). 

vessels,  und  a  hw^a  addition  to  its  population  is  temporarily 
made.  The  chief  buildings  are  the  Governor's  House,  the  Court 
of  Justice,  the  large  church  and  convent  and  the  schools. 
There  are  also  some  handsome  private  dwellings.  Altogether 
the  little  town  is  unique  in  character,  and  the  tourist  will  find 
much  to  interest  him  in  it,  and  in  the  manners  and  customs  of 
the  fishermen  who  frequent  it. 


CHAPTER   XV. 

THE  INIIAIIITANTS  OF  NEWFOUNDLAND. 

The  210,000  people  who  at  present  constitute  the  popula- 
tion of  Newfoundland  are  come  of  a  good  stock,  or  rather 
stocks,  for  they  are  derived  exclusively  from  the  Saxon  and  the 
Celtic  races.  This  is  not  unimportant,  for  race  counts  for  a 
good  deal.  Climate,  modes  of  life,  general  environments  may 
do  much  to  modify  racial  characteristics  and  tendencies,  but 
can  never  wholly  efface  them.  Blood  can  never  cease  to  be 
important.  The  people  who  are  doing  the  work  of  to-day  are 
the  epitome  of  their  respective  long  lines  of  ancestry — the 
summing  up  of  whole  generations  whose  labors  and  moral  and 
intellectual  attainments  have  culminated  in  themselves  and 
made  them  what  they  are.  Ancestry  is  an  important  factor  in 
shaping  the  destines  of  a  people.  Newfoundland  was  originally 
peopled  by  settlers  from  the  west  of  England  and  by  Celts  from 
Ireland.  Moreover,  the  good  blood  in  this  isolated  region  has 
been  kept  free  from  any  undesirable  intermixtures,  and  so  far 
this  blended  race  has  been  developed  under  favorable  con- 
ditions. The  intermixture  of  Saxon  strength,  energy,  endur- 
ance and  capacity  for  hard  toil,  with  Celtic  swiftness,  brilliancy, 
imaginativeness  and  emotional  activity  ought  to  produce  a 
superior  race,  having  the  best  qualities  of  the  stocks  from 
which  they  have  originated. 

Newfoundland  enjoys  the  distinction  of  being  Great 
Britain's  oldest  colony.  This  was  the  first  portion  of  the 
Western  World  on  which  the  Saxon  set  his  foot.  Some  of  the 
earliest  settlers  were  born  in  «the  spacious  times   of  great 


148 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


Fishing— Waterford  Ri\er. 

Elizabeth,))  men  brave,  enterprising,  true  sea  kings  who  could 
«  fearlessly  lay  their  hands  on  ocean's  mane.))  Many  of  them 
were  Devonshire  men,  the  country  that  produced  Sir  Walter 
Raleigh  and  his  half  brother,  Sir  Humphrey  Oilbert,  and  Drake 
and  Hawkins  and  many  another  old  English  worthies.  To  these 
were  added,  at  a  later  date,  some  of  Ireland's  best  blood.  Thus 
on  the  soil  of  Newfoundland  have  met  the  tough,  enduring 
Saxon  and  the  more  lively,  versatile  Celt,  in  proportion  not  far 
from  equal,  and  from  this  wholesome  amalgamation  of  races 
have  sprung  the  stalwart  men  and  comely  maids  and  matrons 
whom  the  traveler  of  to-day  looks  on  with  admiration. 

The  race  has  taken  kindly  to  the  soil  and  thriven.  Reared 
in  one  of  the  most  salubrious  climates  of  the  world,  engaged 
largely  in  open   air  employments,  many   of   them  constantly 


NEWFOUNDLAND.  149 

battling  with  the  billows,  a  hardy,  energetic  race  has  grown  up 
well  fitted  for  the  world's  rough  work.  They  and  their  fathers 
have  buffeted  the  billows,  and  drunk  in  the  health-giving 
breezes,  and  now  we  find  the  present  generation  of  Newfound- 
landers a  hardy,  robust  race  in  their  general  physique.  They 
are  now  rapidly  learning  to  appreciate  the  value  and  importance 
of  education  for  which  a  liberal  provision  has  been  made  by  the 
State,  and  in  which  very  great  improvements  have  been  effected 
in  recent  years.  When  young  Newfoundlanders  go  to  other 
countries  for  the  professional  training,  not  yet  attainable  at 
home,  they  are  found  in  many  instances  to  be  able  to  compete 
successfully  with  other  youths  and  to  win  honors  at  school  and 
college.  Indeed,  any  one  who  comes  into  contact  with  the 
masses  of  the  people  cannot  fail  to  be  struck  with  their  mental 
intelligence  and  quickness.  When  education  has  done  its  work 
it  will  be  found  that  here  is  a  people  who  when  duly  cultured 
will  play  no  unworthy  part  in  the  world  of  the  future  and  will 
compete  with  the  brain-workers  of  the  coming  age  in  all  de- 
])artments  of  life. 

As  to  moral  qualities  it  is  admitted  on  all  hands  that  a 
more  orderly,  law-respecting  and  sober  people  cannot  be  found 
elsewhere.  Their  kindness  and  hospitality  to  strangers  who 
visit  the  country  are  proverbial.  A  traveler  finds  himself  at 
once  at  home  in  Newfoundland  whether  in  the  ca])ital  or  the 
more  distant  settlements,  and  all  vie  with  each  other  in  show- 
ing him  attention.  Quiet,  orderly,  church-going,  attached  to 
their  religious  faith,  the  people  live  peacefully  among  them- 
selves, and  outbreaks  of  bigotry  or  fanaticism  are  almost 
unknown.  Kindness  to  the  poor  and  indigCiit  is  a  marked 
feature  in  the  character  of  the  people.  Charitable  societies 
are  everywhere  liberally  supported. 

There  is,  of  course,  no  distinction  of  ranks  other  than  that 


I50  NEWFOUNDLAND. 

arising  from  wealth,  education  or  official  or  professional  posi- 
tion. The  upper  class  is  composed  of  the  officials  of  the 
Government,  Members  of  the  Legislature,  judges,  clergy,  mer- 
chants, doctors,  lawyers  and  we'Althy  individuals  who  have 
retired  from  business.  The  middle  class  is  composed  of  the 
newer  merchants,  importers,  commission  agents,  shopkeepers, 
tradesmen,  farmers,  and  that  large  class  who,  by  industry  and 
economy,  have  acquired  a  modest  competence.  This  middle 
class,  well  named  « the  shield  of  society,"  is  steadily  increasing. 
On  its  growth  and  permanence  largely  depends  the  future  of 
the  country.  It  is  among  them  that  the  sentiment  of  progress 
has  taken  deepest  root,  and  that  strong  desire  for  the  develop- 
ment of  the  resources  of  the  island  is  most  keenly  felt.  The 
fishermen  and  the  working  classes  generally  welcome  the  pros- 
pect of  new  industries  for  the  support  of  themselves  and  their 
children,  knowing  that  the  fisheries  alone  are  insufficient  to 
maintain  their  increasing  numbers. 

The  capitalists  of  the  country  are  the  merchants,  numeri- 
cally a  small  class,  but  vitally  important  to  the  interests  of  the 
community  and  the  prosecution  of  the  staple  industries  on 
which  the  bulk  of  the  people  depend  for  a  subsistence.  They 
collect  export  and  dispose  of  the  various  products  of  the 
fisheries ;  and  import  merchandise  of  all  kinds,  food,  clothing, 
fishing  gear,  etc.,  required  by  the  fishermen.  Their  vessels 
carry  the  dried  fish  and  oil  to  the  consuming  countries,  such  as 
Brazil,  Spain,  Portugal  and  Italy. 

The  «  credit  or  supplying  system,"  once  universal,  is  now 
greatly  curtailed.  The  fishermen  are  becoming  more  prudent 
and  thrifty  than  formerly  and  a  number  of  them  can  dispense 
with  supplies  on  credit,  and  pay  in  cash  for  what  they  require. 
Those  who  combine  farming  with  fishing  are  invariably  the  most 
independent  and  comfortable  of  their  class.    On  the  whole,  the 


NEWFOUNDLAND.  151 

fishermen  of  Newfoundland,  though  they  have  not  much  of  this 
world's  goods,  compare  not  unfavorably  as  to  their  condition 
with  the  laboring  classes  of  other  countries.  If,  at  times,  they 
have  privations  and  hardships  they  have  many  compensations 
for  these  in  their  free,  open-air  life,  their  robust  health  and 
their  capabilities  of  enjoying  simple  pleasures.  There  is,  per- 
haps, as  much  genuine  happiness  among  them  as  among  any 
similar  number  who  toil  for  their  daily  bread. 

One  marked  feature  in  their  character  is  their  passionate 
attachment  to  the  land  of  their  nativity.  Winter  is  the  fisher- 
men's season  for  enjoyment.  In  their  homes,  however  poor, 
life  claims  its  right  to  gladness  and  relaxation.  The  season  for 
« fireside  enjoyment,  home-born  happiness »  is  welcomed.  They 
have  their  social  pleasures,  out  and  indoor  amusements,  games, 
shooting,  hunting  and  trapping.  Dancing  is  a  favorite  winter 
amusement,  and  to  the  music  of  the  fiddle,  the  flute,  the  fife, 
or,  in  the  absence  of  any  other  instrument,  the  jewsharp.  They 
dance  for  hours  with  a  vigor  and  honest  heartedness  which, 
perhaps,  brings  them  more  real  pleasure  than  is  experienced  in 
the  ball-rooms  of  fashionable  life.  Weddings,  in  particular,  are 
celebrated  with  an  amount  of  gaiety  and  festivity  which  at 
once  indicates  an  exuberance  of  animal  spirits  and  a  kindly 
sympathy  with  the  « happy  couple.»>  Human  nature  is  much  the 
same  in  all  ages  and  countries,  and  from  ('ana  to  Newfound- 
land marriages  call  forth  the  notes  of  gladness. 

The  close  of  the  fishing  season  is  the  favorite  time  for 
weddings.  Then  if  the  fishery  has  been  good  there  is  an 
epidemic  of  marriages,  and  the  hearts  of  priest  and  parson  sing 
for  joy,  fees  being  prevalent  and  general  good  cheer.  Winter 
is  also  the  season  for  tea  festivals,  religious  and  secular  soirees, 
lectures,  concerts,  readings,  with  music,  etc.  St.  John's,  the 
capital,  of  course,  takes  the  lead  in  such  matters  and  sets  the 


152  NEWFOUNDLAND. 

fashions.  A  taste  for  theatricals,  operas  and  concerts  has 
been  developed  among  the  people,  and  the  attendance  at  these 
entertainments  is  usually  large.  Reading-rooms,  libraries  and 
clubs  furnish  social  and  intellectual  enjoyments.  With  balls, 
skating-rinks,  snow-shoeing,  tobogganing  and  sleighing  the 
winters  pass  right  pleasantly  among  the  well-to-do  classes. 

In  the  larger  towns  and  villages  similar  social  enjoyments, 
on  a  smaller  scale  and  of  a  simpler  character  are  multiplying, 
and  newspapers,  books,  periodicals  now  find  their  way  among 
the  lonely  dwellers  by  the  sea  where  formerly  they  were  almost 
entirely  unknown,  and  are  stirring  intellectual  life  among  the 
toilers  of  the  deep.  Many  a  day  may  elapse  before  these 
stirring  impulses  make  themselves  broadly  visible  among  a 
people  so  long  insulated  from  the  outside  world,  but  the  latent 
possibilities  are  here,  and  in  that  great  innovator,  the  railway, 
they  have  secured  a  basis  on  which  progress,  material  and 
mental,  rests  securely.  Think  what  the  New  England  States, 
and  what  are  now  the  best  parts  of  Canada  were  a  century  ago, 
and  in  their  growth  may  we  not  see  a  promise  of  what  the 
small  pojmlation  of  this  island  will  yet  become  under  the 
quickening  touch  of  our  modern  civilization. 


CHAPTER    XVI. 


POPULATION,  RELIGIOUS  DENOMINATIONS,  ETC. 

In  1698  the  resident  population  of  the  island  was  only 
2,640;  in  1785  it  had  increased  to  10,000;  in  1825  to  55,719; 
in  1845  to  98,703;  in  1874  to  161,874,  and  in  1891  to  202,040, 
Labrador  included.  At  this  date,  1898,  it  is  probably  about 
211,000.  From  1874  to  1884  the  increase  was  at  the  rate  of 
22.4  per  cent,  in  ten  years.  Since  the  last  date  there  has  been 
a  falling  off  in  the  ra*e  of  increase,  owing  to  emigration,  caused 
by  bad  fisheries,  but  with  the  return  of  better  times  in  recent 
years  emigration  has  lessened  and  probably  the  increase  of 
population  has  resumed  its  normal  proportions.  According  to 
the  census  of  1891,  the  last  taken,  the  religious  denominations 
numerically  stood  as  follows: 


Church  of  Rome,     .        .        . 

Church  of  England, 

Reformed  Church  of  England, 

Methodists,  .... 

Presbyterians, 

Congregationalists, 

Baptists  and  others, 

Moravians  (Christianized  Esquimo), 

Mic  Mac  Indians, 


72,696 

69,824 

487 

53,276 

1,449 

2,092 

37 

1,397 

20 


By  the  same  census  the  sexes  stood  to  each  other  thus: 

Males .        .         100,684 

Females,  97,259 


154 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


The  number  of  males  engaged  in  curing  tish  was  35,931 ; 
of  females  engaged  in  curing  fish,  17,571. 
The  number  of  churches  was  as  follows: 


(-hurch  of  England, 
Church  of  Rome, 
Methodists, 
Other  denominations, 


156 

131 

128 

12 


Deer-Stalking. 


CHAPTER    XVII. 

EDUCATION. 

The  educational  system  is  carried  on  upon  the  denomina- 
tional system,  each  religious  denomination  receiving  a  grant  for 
education  from  the  ])ublic  funds  in  proportion  to  its  numbers. 
Separate  boards  of  education  in  the  different  districts  have 
charge  of  the  elementary  schools.  Four  superintendents  of 
education  are  appointed  by  Government  for  Roman  Catholic, 
Church  of  England,  Methodist  and  Presbyterian  schools  and 
colleges  respectively.  In  recent  years  the  progress  made  in 
education  is  of  a  very  satisfactory  character,  though,  of  course, 
much  yet  remains  to  be  done,  especially  in  the  more  distant 
settlements.  That  the  separate  system  of  education  is  more 
costly  and  leads  to  a  waste  of  means  and  power,  must  be 
allowed;  but,  as  things  now  stand  and  in  the  present  state  of 
denominational  feeling,  it  probably  gives  the  best  results  that 
are  now  attainable. 

The  appointment — four  or  five  years  ago— of  a  «Council  of 
Higher  Education,))  composed  of  the  rei)resentatives  of  all 
denominations,  was  a  step  in  the  right  direction,  and  will  tend 
to  produce  greater  unity  of  action  in  connection  with  the  higher 
branches  of  education.  It  brings  together  men  from  all  parties 
who  take  an  interest  in  education  and  leads  them  to  feel  that 
here  is  a  common  ground  on  which  they  can  meet  and  act  for 
the  good  of  all.  The  necessity  of  educating  the  masses  who 
now  have  manhood  suffrage,  is  by  those  who  have  the  direction 
of  public  affairs,  felt  more  keenly.  When,  by  law,  every  man 
on  reaching  the  age  of  twenty-one,  is  entitled  to  vote  in  the 


156  NEWFOUNDLAND. 

election  of  members  of  the  House  of  Assembly,  the  safety  and 
well-being  of  the  commonwealth  require  that  such  a  power 
should  not  be  exercised  by  an  uneducated  people. 

The  Legislative  Cirant  for  all  educational  purposes  is  about 
$151,891  per  annum.     Of  this 

Elementary  Schools  receive $97,753 

Pupil  Teachers, 5,610 

Encouragement  of  Teachers, 25,297 

Inspection 6,060 

Legislative  grant  for  colleges: 

Church  of  England $3,328 

Church  of  Rome 3,465 

Methodist 2,539 

Presbyterian, 990 

In  1893  an  act  was  passed  to  provide  for  higher  education. 
This  act  makes  provision  for  the  apointment  of  a  Council  of 
Higher  Education,  with  the  view  of  promoting  a  higher  standard 
of  education  throughout  the  colony  by  the  holding  of  examina- 
tions and  the  awarding  of  prizes  and  diplomas  and  scholarships 
to  successful  candidates.  The  council  is  to  consist  of  twenty- 
three  members,  and  the  Superintendents  of  Education  and 
Headmasters  of  Colleges  are  members  ex  officio.  The  sum  of 
$4,000  annually  is  appropriated  for  the  purposes  of  this  act, 
and  the  Jubilee  Scholarship  is  made  subject  to  the  regulations 
of  the  Council. 

The  total  number  of  elementary  schools  is  549;  the  number 
of  pupils,  83,834.  The  number  of  pupils  attending  colleges  is 
723.    The  grand  total  attending  colleges  and  schools,  34,557. 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 

FORM   OF    GOVERNMENT. 

Since  1855  the  Colony  has  enjoyed  the  boon  of  « Respons- 
ible Government.))  According  to  this  mode  of  government  the 
party  who  are  sustained  by  a  majority  in  the  Legislature  have 
at  their  disposal  the  appointment  to  the  principal  offices  of  the 
Colony.  The  House  of  Assembly  is  elected  by  the  people;  the 
Legislative  Council  is  nominated  by  « the  Governor-in-Council.)) 

The  form  of  government  consists  of  a  Governor,  who  is 
appointed  by  the  crown,  his  salary  being  paid  by  the  colony;  an 
Executive  Council,  chosen  by  the  party  commanding  a  majority 
in  the  Legislature,  and  consisting  of  seven  members;  a  Legisla- 
tive Council  of  fifteen  members,  nominated  by  the  Governor-in- 
Council,  and  holding  office  for  life;  and  a  House  of  Assembly, 
at  present  consisting  of  thirty-six  members,  elected  every  four 
years  by  the  votes  of  the  people,  every  male  on  reaching  the 
age  of  twenty-one  having  a  right  to  vote.  In  the  govern- 
ing body  thus  consisting  of  the  Governor  representing  the 
sovereign,  the  Legislative  Council  and  the  House  of  Assembly, 
is  vested  collectively  the  legislative  power.  They  have  also 
exclusive  jurisdiction  over  such  matters  as  the  public  debt  and 
property;  raising  money  on  the  credit  of  the  Colony  by  loan, 
taxation,  postal  service,  trade,  commerce,  fisheries,  etc.  The 
General  Government  is  also  custodian  of  the  public  funds,  from 
which  is  disbursed  the  expenses  of  the  public  service.  There 
are  eighteen  electoral  districts,  sending  thirty-six  members  to 
the  House  of  Assembly.  The  members  of  both  branches  of  the 
Legislature  are  paid.     Members  of  the  House  of  Assembly,  if 


158 


NRWFOUNDLAND. 


A  Cirovc  of  Firs  bv  tlie  Riverside. 


resident  in  St.  John's,  receive  $194  per  session;  if  resident 
elsewhere  $291  i)er  session.  The  meml)ers  of  the  Legislative 
Council  receive  $120  per  session;  the  president  $240.  The 
Speaker  of  the  House  of  Assembly  receives  $1,000  per  session. 

The  Governor,  who  is  also  Commander-in-Chief  in  and  over 
the  Colony  and  its  dependencies,  has  the  power  in  the  Queen's 
name  to  commute  the  sentence  of  a  court  of  justice;  to 
summon,  open,  prorogue,  and  on  occasions  dissolve  the  Local 
Parliament;  to  give  or  withhold  assent  to  or  reserve  for  the 
Royal  consideration  all  bills  which  pass  both  Chambers. 

The  Legislature  must  meet  once  a  year,  and  is  usually 
summoned  for  the  despatch  of  business  in  the  month  of 
February.      Thus    the    colony    may     be    described    as    self 


NEWFOUNDLAND.  I59 

j^overnin^.  The  electorn  in  reality  govern  the  country,  as  they 
choose  the  members  of  Assembly,  who,  by  their  votes, 
maintain  in  office  or  overthrow  the  government  of  the  day. 
The  ('olony,  like  England,  enjoys  « Responsible  Government;)* 
that  is,  each  government  is  responsible  to  the  people,  through 
the  members  of  the  Legislature  they  elect,  to  carry  out  their 
wishes. 

The  Supreme  Court  is  comj)osed  of  a  chief  justice  and 
two  assistant  judges.  It  holds  two  terms  or  sessions  each 
year,  in  May  and  November.  There  are  also  circuits  of  the 
Supreme  C'ourt,  presided  over  by  the  chief  or  one  of  the 
assistant  judges,  in  rotation.  The  chief  justice's  salary  is 
$5,000  per  annum,  and  each  assistant  judge  $4,000  per  annum. 
1'hey  hold  their  ai)pointments  for  life.  There  is  also  a  Court  of 
Labrador,  presided  over  by  a  judge  who  is  nominated  by  the 
(lOvernor-in-Council,  salary  $1,154. 

REVENUE— IMPORTS,  EXPORTS,  ETC. 

According  to  the  Newfoundland  year  book  (latest  issue), 
the  revenue  in  1895-96  amounted  to  $1,564,457;  the  imports  to 
$5,986,571;  the  exports  $6,638,187;  the  funded  debt  at  the 
close  of  1896  was  $18,096,945.  The  great  part  of  the  public 
debt  was  incurred  by  building  nearly  700  miles  of  railway.  At 
the  completion  of  the  trans-insular  railway  (1898)  the  public 
debt  was  about  sixteen  or  seventeen  millions  of  dollars. 

MONETARY   SYSTEM. 

The  monetary  system  is  similar  to  that  of  Canada,  and 
Canadian  coins  pass  at  full  value.  British  gold  and  silver  coins 
pass  current  of  £1=$4— 86§;  United  States  gold  coin  is  taken 
at  its  face  value.  The  notes  of  the  three  Canadian  banks  pass 
current  at  their  face  value. 


i6o 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


POSTAL   INFORMATION. 

The  letter  rate  of  postage  within  Newfoundhind  and  to 
Canada  is  two  cents  per  ounce;  to  (Jreat  Britain  and  other 
countries  of  the  Postal  Union  five  cents  per  half  ounce;  letters 
for  delivery  within  the  city  one  cent  per  ounce.  Parcels  to 
Canada  cost  fifteen  cents  per  pound;  to  the  United  Kingdom 
eighteen  cents  for  the  first  i)ound  and  twelve  cents  for  each 
additional  pound. 

The  telegraph  rate  from  St.  John's  to  places  in  Newfound- 
land varies  from  twenty-five  cents  per  ten  words  and  two  cents 
for  each  additional  word  to  fifty  cents  per  ten  words  and  four 
cents  for  every  additional  word.  The  ra^  ^s  to  the  nearest  i)arts 
of  Canada  and  the  United  States  are  $1  and  $1.25  for  ten 
words  and  nine  to  eleven  cents  for  each  additional  word.  To 
(Jreat  Britain  the  rate  is  twenty-five  cents  per  word. 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

THE   ABORIGINES. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  island  on  its  discovery  by  Cabot  in 
1497  called  themselves  Beothiks.  This  was  their  tribal  name. 
Their  features  resembled  those  of  the  Continental  Indians. 
They  had  high  cheek  bones,  small  black  eyes,  straight  black 
hair,  and  were  of  a  copper  color.  Their  weapons,  canoes,  tents 
or  wigwams  and  domestic  utensils  resembled  those  of  neighbor- 
ing tribes  on  the  continent.  Their  habits  of  life  were  alike  in 
many  respects,  and  they  lived  by  hunting  and  fishing.  There  is 
strong  reasons  for  believing  that  they  were  a  branch  of  the 
wide-spread  and  warlike  Algonkins,  who  once  occupied  nearly 
the  whole  of  Canada  and  a  large  portion  of  the  United  States. 
Others  hold  that  they  were  a  separate  and  older  race  of 
red  men  who  had  at  an  unknown  date  migrated  to  Newfound- 
land, where  for  many  centuries  they  sustained  themselves  and 
increased  in  numbers. 

When  first  made  known  to  the  white  men  these  Beothiks 
were  a  numerous  and  powerful  race,  well  developed  physically, 
of  quick  intelligence,  tractable,  and  not  indisposed  to  friendly 
intercourse  with  the  i)ale  faces.  They  had  lived  for  unknown 
ages  unmolested,  hunting  and  fishing.  With  countless  herds  of 
the  finest  deer,  vast  flocks  of  ptarmigan,  ponds  abundantly 
stocked  with  beaver  and  trout,  rivers  swarming  with  salmon, 
wild  ducks  and  geese  in  spring  and  summer,  the  island  must 
have  been  a  paradise  to  these  red  men  who  revelled  in  savage 
abundance. 

But  as  in  all  similar  cases  the  coming  of  the  white  men 


l62 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


sealed  their  doom.  For  300  years  afterwards  they  continued 
to  exist,  but  were  gradually  becoming  fewer  and  weaker.  In 
despair,  the  forlorn  band  that  remained  retreated  to  their  last 
refuge  at  Red  Indian  Lake;  and  here  they  died,  one  by  one, 
till  not  a  living  representative  remained  of  a  once  vigorous  and 
warlike  race. 

There  are  few  darker  chai)ters  in  the  history  of  the  white 
man's  progress  in  the  New  World  than  that  which  records  the 
fate  of  the  unhappy  Heothiks. 


CHAPTER    XX. 

LABRADOR. 

As  a  large  portion  of  Labrador  is  under  the  jurisdiction  of 
Newfoundland,  and  as  some  1^0,000  of  Newfoundland  fishermen 
resort  each  year  to  its  coasts  for  fishing  jturposes,  and  one- 
fourth  of  all  the  fish  exported  from  the  island  is  taken  on  that 
coast,  a  brief  account  of  it  is  desirable. 

This  great  peninsula  lies  between  the  (iulf  of  St.  Lawrence, 
Hudson's  Bay  and  Straits,  and  the  North  Atlantic.  The  coast 
line  on  the  Atlantic,  from  the  Straits  of  Belle  Isle  to  Cape 
Chidleigh,  is  1,100  miles  in  length;  its  greatest  breadth  is  600 
miles,  and  its  area  420,000  square  miles,  being  equal  to  the 
area  of  the  British  Isles,  France  and  Austria  combined.  The 
eastern  coast,  from  Blanc  Sablon  to  Cape  Chidleigh,  belongs  to 
Newfoundland;  the  rest  to  Canada;  but  the  boundary  between 
tneir  respective  portions  has  not  yet  been  defined. 

The  climate  is  rigorous  in  the  extreme.  The  snow  lies 
from  September  to  June.  In  winter  the  whole  coast  is  block- 
aded with  ice  fields,  drifting  from  Baffin's  Bay  and  other  outlets 
of  the  Arctic  Ocean,  while  in  summer  the  glittering  icebergs, 
stranded  or  floating,  impart  a  stern  l)eauty  to  its  storm-beaten 
shore.  Berhai)S  no  country  on  the  face  of  the  globe  is  less 
attractive  as  an  abode  of  civilized  man.  Much  of  the  surface 
of  the  country  is  covered  with  low  mountains  and  barren 
[)lateaus,  on  which  are  vast  i)iains  of  moss,  interspersed  with 
rocks  and  boulders.  At  the  heads  of  the  l)ays  and  fiords  only, 
is  there  a  large  growth  of  timber,  and  along  the  margin  of 
some  of  the  rivers  i)atches  of  cultivabl(>  land  are  to  be  found. 


iM 


NEWFOUNDLAND. 


Tho  Atlantic  coast  of  Labrador  is  a  grim  and  terrible  wilder- 
ness, but  having  many  scenes  of  awe-inspiring  beauty.  The 
interior  is  a  vast  table-land  1^,000  feet  above  the  sea-level, 
boulder-strewn,  covered  with  caribou  moss,  and  in  the  hollows 
grow  stunted  spruce,  birch  and  aspen. 

Were  it  not  for  the  fish  that  swarm  in  its  waters,  Labrador 


.\1i)n,y  tliu  Cimntry   Rc)ii<l. 

would  be  left  to  the  ^^w  tribes  of  Indians  and  Esquimaux  who 
roam  over  its  desolate  wastes;  but  such  is  the  extraordinary 
wealth  of  the  adjacent  seas  that  thousands  of  adventurous 
fishermen  are  annually  found  on  its  shores  during  its  brief 
summer.  This  migratory  population  numbers  about  20,000. 
The  fixed  pojjulation  consists  of  white  inhabitants  who  live  in 
small,   widely-scattered   settlements  on    the    Atlantic    and    St. 


NHWKOUNDLANI).  165 

Lawrence  coasts,  and  at  the  posts  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Comi)any. 
The  northern  coast  is  thinly  peopled  by  wandering  Esquimaux, 
among  whom  the  Moravian  missionaries  have  been  laboring  for 
more  than  a  century  with  much  success.  Nomadic  tribes  of 
Indians  roam  in  the  interior  and  are  known  as  Montagnais,  or 
Mountaineers;  the  Nasquapee,  the  Mastassini  and  the  Swampy 
(^reek  Indians.  They  are  believed  to  be  of  Algonkin  origin. 
Of  late  years  Labrador  has  been  visited  by  an  increasing 
number  of  tourists  in  search  of  the  picturesque,  artists  to 
sketch  the  icebergs  and  coast  scenery,  sportsmen  and  anglers 
and  even  invalids  in  pursuit  of  health.  This  stream  of  visitors 
is  likely  to  be  greatly  increased  when  direct  and  imjjroved 
service  between  St.  John's  and  Labrador  is  established.  Those 
who  enjoy  the  grander  and  sterner  aspects  of  Nature  will  then 
have  an  opportunity  of  gratifying  their  tastes.  There  are  no 
scenes  of  softened  beauty  on  Labrador,  but  there  is  the 
grandeur  of  massive  perpendicular  clif.'s,  sometimes  sculptured 
into  shapes  of  stern  beauty,  or  torn  and  jagged  by  the  fierce 
frosts  and  tempests  of  winter  and  the  ever-knawing  tooth 
of  time. 

One  of  the  most  remarkable  pieces  of  scenery  on  Labrador 
is  at  Chateau,  north  of  Battle  Harbor,  which  has  within  it  the 
noble  fiord  of  Temple  liay.  (-hateau  gets  its  name  from  the 
rock  formations  at  the  mouth  of  this  deep,  narrow  l)ay.  This 
castle-like  ])ile  of  l)asaltic  rocks  rises  in  vertical  columns  from 
an  insulated  bed  of  granite.  Its  height  from  the  level  of  the 
ocean  is  upwards  of  200  feet.  It  is  composed  of  regular  five- 
sided  prisms,  and  on  all  sides  the  ground  is  strewn  with  single 
blocks  and  clusters  that  have  fallen  from  their  places.  It 
seems  like  some  grim  fortress  of  the  feudal  ages  from  whose 
embrasures  big-mouthed  cannon  were  ready  to  belch  forth 
flame  and  smoke.     C'hateau  was  once  a  place  of  some  import- 


iO(.  NKWFOl'NDLANK. 

ance  and  has  its  historic  associations.  When  the  unfortunate 
Acadians  were  driven  from  their  homes  a  number  of  them  found 
a  refuge  on  this  spot,  which  they  fortitied,  the  remains  of  the 
fortifications  being  still  visible.  There  was  once  a  British 
garrison  at  Chateau  to  protect  the  fisheries,  but  it  was 
captured  in  17()3  by  an  American  i)rivateer  and  three  vessels, 
and  £70,000  worth  of  proi)erty  carried  off.  In  17f)6  the  French 
bombarded  and  took  it.  Sandwich  Bay,  further  north,  is  nine 
miles  wide  at  the  entrance  and  fifty-four  miles  in  length.  But 
the  most  important  of  all  the  fiords  is  Hamilton  Inlet  or  Esqui- 
maux Bay,  which  is  thirty  miles  wide  at  the  mouth  and  extends 
150  miles  from  the  sea.  The  chief  river  of  Labrador  falls  into 
this  bay,  it  is  called  the  Grand  or  Hamilton  River.  At  a  distance 
of  250  miles  from  its  mouth  are  the  Grand  Falls,  one  of  the 
most  remarkable  in  the  world,  being  316  feet  in  height.  Two 
exploring  parties  from  the  United  States  ascended  this  river, 
re-discovered  the  Grand  Falls  in  1891. 

In  winter  thirty  degrees  below  zero  is  common;  l)ut,  owing 
to  the  dryness  of  the  air  and  the  absence  of  high  winds,  it  is 
not  uncomfortable  and  is  bracing  and  healthful.  The  summer 
climate  of  the  interior  is  said  to  be  delightful. 


K.  (i.   Rcid. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

NEWFOUNDLAND  RAILWAY. 

In  1<S78  Sir  William  Whiteway,  the  Premier  of  the  colony, 
took  the  matter  of  a  railway  up  in  earnest  and  i)ioneered  the 
way  with  much  address  and  skill,  and  unwavering  perseverance 
in  the  face  of  strong  op])()siti()n.  At  length  a  joint  committee 
of  both  chambers  of  the  Legislature  recommended  a  railway 
and  a  bill  was  ])assed  in  favor  of  its  construction. 

In  1885  the  construction  of  a  branch  line,  twenty-seven 
miles  in  length,  from  Whitbourne  Junction  to  Placentia,  the 
old  French  capital,  was  commenced  and  opened  in  1888.  The 
great  innovator  had  got  a  firm  footing  in  the  island,  and  was 
hailed  with  almost  universal  approval.  The  extension  of  the 
line  northward  was  now  resumed,  and  a  tender  for  its  construc- 
tion was  accepted  from  Mr.  R.  (i.  Reid,  an  eminent  contractor 
of  Montreal,  and  the  work  commenced  in  October,  1890. 

Meantime,  however,  a  survey  was  made  for  a  line  to  the 
west  coast  of  the  island,  from  the  valley  of  Exploits.  This 
route  was  found  to  be  much  more  favorable  than  that  already 
surveyed  to  the  north.  It  passed  through  the  best  lands  in  the 
island  along  the  Exploits  and  Humber  Valleys,  to  the  Ray  of 
Islands,  and  then  turning  south  opened  St.  (ieorge's  Ray,  the 
('odroy  Valley  and  found  a  terminus  at  Port-aux-Rasques,  a  fine 
harbor  only  ninety-three  miles  distant  from  North  Sydney,  (.'ape 
Rreton.  It  was  speedily  and  wisely  decided  to  adopt  this  new 
route  and  to  carry  the  northern  line  no  further  than  Exploits, 
thence  westward  across  the  island  and  on  to  the  southwestern 
extremity  of  the  island  at  Port-aux-Ras(iues,  with  the  view  of 


I7U  NEWFOl'NDhANK. 

connecting  the  colony  with  the  continent  by  a  Hwift  steamer  to 
North  Sydney. 

A  new  contract  was  signed  on  this  basis  on  May  16,  1893. 
The  total  distance  from  St.  John's  to  Port-aiix-Hasques  was 
found  to  be  54.S  miles.  It  was  completed  in  1898.  The  terms 
of  the  contract  were  highly  favorable  to  the  colony.  For  con- 
structing and  operating  the  line  payment  was  to  be  at  the  rate 


Xc'wfoiiiiclhiml   l^ailway   Uridine. 

of  $15,600  per  mile  in  debentures  of  the  Government  of  New- 
foundland, bearing  interest  at  three  and  a  half  per  cent, 
per  annum. 

Under  the  operating  contract  there  was  to  be  a  grant  in 
fee-simple  to  the  contractor  of  5,000  acres  of  land  for  each 
mile  to  be  operated.     Should  the  line  be  500  miles  in  length 


NhlVVFOUNDLANl).  171 

the  land  grant  wcjuld  be  2,500,000  acres.  These  grants  were 
to  be  taken  in  alternate  sections  on  each  side  of  the  railway, 
the  colony  retaining  the  same  quantity  of  land  given  to  the 
contractor,  also  in  alternate  sections,  so  as  to  prevent  anything 
having  the  appearance  of  a  monopoly.  The  grant  being  wilder- 
ness, land  can  only  be  turned  to  profitable  account  by  the  con- 
tractor by  ])romoting  settlement  and  the  utilization  of  whatever 
resources  they  may  contain,  thus  securing  an  increase  of  the 
population  and  wealth  of  the  country,  and  swelling  the  revenue. 
It  is  the  interest  of  the  contractor  to  turn  these  lands  to  the 
best  account,  and  in  doing  so  he  will  give  increased  employment 
to  the  people,  while  at  the  same  time,  the  Government's  reserve 
of  alternate  sections  will  also  be  increased  in  value.  Every 
way,  therefore,  the  contract  is  favorable  to  the  colony.  With- 
out the  railway  and  the  contingent  improvements  which  it 
brings,  these  lands  must  have  remained  valueless  indefinitely. 
These  land  grants,  it  should  be  noticed,  are  accepted  by  Mr. 
Reid  instead  of  an  annual  subsidy  in  money  as  payment  for 
operating  the  line  for  the  first  term  of  years  when  of  necessity 
the  revenue  from  passenger  and  goods  traffic  must  be  small. 
The  colony  thus  escapes  the  heavy  cost  of  operating  the  line  at 
first  by  the  concession  of  these  lands  which  are  entirely 
unprofitable.  Moreover,  Mr.  Ueid  engages  to  sell  his  lands  at 
thirty  cents  an  acre — the  Government  upset  price  to  all  bona 
fide  settlers. 

Other  advantages  are  the  conveyance  of  mails  three  times 
a  week  instead  of  fortnightly  as  formerly,  with  an  increase  of 
business.  The  connection  at  North  Sydney  with  the  American 
railway  system  opens  a  desirable  route  for  tourists  and  travelers, 
and  gives  a  quick  route  of  transit  for  goods.  That  a  small 
colony,  by  no  means  wealthy,  has  discovered  such  spirit  and 
energy  as  to  undertake  and  carry  out  such  an  enterprise  and 


17-' 


NKVVKOlINDIwW'h. 


I'lacentia. 


to  make  provision  for  piiyment  of  interest  on  its  cost  is 
certainly  greatly  to  its  credit;  and  it  is  now  quite  certain  that 
it  can  shoulder  the  burden  of  debt  incurred  by  its  construction 
without  any  undue  strain.  Before  the  great  innovator,  the 
railway,  old  things  will  pass  away  and  a  now  and  better  social 
and  industrial  life  will  begin. 

In  1898  the  Government  entered  into  a  new  contract  with 
Mr.  Reid,  which  was  ratified  by  the  Legislature,  the  bill  being 
passed  by  an  overwhelming  majority.  According  to  this  new 
agreement  Mr.  Reid  undertakes  to  operate  all  the  railways  for 
fifty  years,  stringent  conditions  as  to  management,  number  of 
trains,  rates,  etc.,  being  laid  down.     For  the  reversion  of  the 


NP^WFOIINDLANI). 


'73 


railway  ut  the  end  of  fifty  years  he  agrees  to  pay  .$1,000,000 
within  one  year.  Thus  the  colony  is  forever  relieved  of  the 
heavy  expense  of  operating  the  railway  which  for  many  years 
would  otherwise  be  a  drain  on  the  revenue.  The  main  benefit 
of  the  railway  is  the  opening  up  of  the  interior,  the  develop- 
ment of  its  natural  resources,  the  promotion  of  industrial  enter- 
prises and  the  C(mne('tion  with  the  neighboring  continent  which 
it  secures.  All  these  benefits  are  obtained,  whoever  may  be  the 
nominal  owner  of  the  line;  and  the  million  dollars  is  ap])lied  to 
the  reducticm  of  the  public  debt. 

Further  -Mr.  Ueid  contracted  with  the  (lovernment  to 
build  and  run  seven  steamers  of  a  superior  description  one  in 
each  of  the  large  bays,  so  as  to  c(mnect  with  the  railway,  and 
one  to  ply  to  Labrador  in  summer.     A  separate  subsidy  is  given 


Codroy  Mountains. 


174  NI';WH)I'NIH,AN1). 

for  the  .services  of  these  steamers.  The  steamers  on  the  bays 
will  be  feeders  for  the  railway  and  will  atford  facilities  for 
tourists,  travelers,  etc.;  vlsitinjif  these  magnificent  bays  and 
enjoying  some  of  the  noblest  scenery.  It  will  thus  be  seen  that 
he  sui)|)lied  to  Newfoundland  what  it  has  hmg  been  seeking  for 
in  vain,  namely,  capital,  in  return  for  the  operation  of  the 
railway  he  is  to  receive  a  further  concession  of  land  to  the 
extent  of  2,r)()0  acres  per  mile,  selected  very  much  on  the  same 
lines  as  under  the  former  ccmtract. 

These  solitudes  which  shall  never  rela])se  into  their  past 
re})ose,  at  last  resound  with  the  echoes  of  the  railway  and  all  its 
vitalizing  forces.  They  are  the  heralds  of  that  dawn  which  has 
been  delayed  for  ages,  but  which  has  come  to  mark  the  closing 
years  of  this  auspicious  century.  It  is  a  great  i)ublic  benefac- 
tion whose  possibilities  of  development  and  ultimate  good  are 
beyond  com|)utation.  The  event,  so  long  and  so  earnestly  hoped 
for,  the  hard  and  i)atient  toil,  the  privation  and  suffering,  the 
heavy  burdens  borne  by  individuals  and  by  the  public  all  these 
are  transient  and  of  small  moment  when  compared  with  the 
great  and  pervading  benefits  which  it  is  sure  to  bring  for 
all  time. 


CHAPTFR    XXII. 

I'ETTY  HAKI'.OK  HYDRAULIC  ELECTRICAL  SYSTEM  AND 

THE  STREET  RAILWAY. 

The  quiet  fishing  village  of  Petty  Harbor,  nine  miles  from 
St.  John's,  is  the  scene  of  a  new  and  a  wonderful  activity.  The 
repose  of  ages  has  been  broken.  It  has  been  invaded  by  the 
genius  of  i)rogress.  The  long  wasted  energy  of  its  wayward 
river  has  been  made  to  subserve  the  ends  of  utility.  C'ontrolled 
and  directed  it  has  become  a  mighty  force  for  driving  ponderous 
wheels  with  tireless  velocity.  This  energy,  transmitted  lo  St. 
John's,  drives  the  swift  revolving  dynamos  in  the  sub-station. 
It  is  thus  that  man  has  enlisted  this  most  potent  and  economic 
force  of  nature. 

This  system  was  devised  in  the  earlier  ages,  and  man  at 
this  late  day  has  discovered  and  utilized  it.  Nature's  i)rocesses 
are  patient,  momentous  and  slow.  She  to  whom  the  centuries 
are  but  moments,  takes  no  note  of  the  transient  and  small 
concerns  of  man,  the  mere  creation  of  a  day.  She  could  await, 
unperturbed,  the  cycles  of  the  ages.  Not  so  with  man.  The 
necessity  is  ui)on  him  and  it  must  be  met. 

The  road  to  Petty  Harbor  (the  direct  one  should  always 
be  taken),  winding  through  a  beautiful  valley,  discloses  a 
succession  of  varied  scenic  charms.  In  no  direction  from  St. 
John's  are  there  equal  evidences  of  thrift  and  plenty.  It  is  an 
inspiration  to  see  the  abundant  crops,  to  inhale  the  pure  air, 
laden  with  the  odors  of  new  mown  hay,  and  to  look  upon  the 
cultivated  land,  adorned  by  well-kept  homes.    The  landscape 


NEWFOUNDLAND.  177 

has  ever-chanj^ing  attractions.  A  short  distante  before  reach- 
ing Petty  Harbor  a  succession  of  clear  water  lakes  comes  in 
view.  These  are  the  source  of  the  water  to  be  utilized.  Just 
before  entering  the  village,  the  hills  close  down,  leaving  no 
choice  to  the  tourist  but  to  follow  the  river  and  visit  the 
pleasant  village,  resting  on  either  side  of  the  bay,  and  at  times 
building  its  houses  far  U])  the  hill-sides.  It  is  a  typical 
Newfoundland  tishing  village,  whose  hardy  fishermen  have  for 
generation  after  generation  braved  the  perils  of  the  sea.  The 
storms  may  rage  without,  but  here  in  this  sheltered  retreat  the 
wave-tossed  boat  finds  a  safe  harbor,  and  here  its  kindly  people 
dwell  in  i)eace  and  contentment.  It  is  a  picture  of  natural 
repose  in  accord  with  the  tranquil  lives  of  its  people. 

The  visitor  to  Petty  Harbor  has  left  behind  the  world  of 
bustle,  trade  and  show.  He  has  forgotten  its  strifes,  its 
anxieties  and  its  ambitions,  its  struggles,  its  weariness  and  its 
vanities  are  things  of  the  past.  He  has  entered  a  more  real 
existence,  where  true  peace  abides.  He  partakes  of  the 
calmer  moods  of  those  about  him,  and  lives  again  the  free  and 
happier  days  of  the  long  ago,  when  the  small  troubles, of  the 
day  were  lost  in  the  sweet  repose  of  the  night.  The  needs  of 
man  are  few  ;  his  desires  are  many.  It  is  little  to  supply  his 
needs  ;  his  desires  are  the  source  of  his  woes.  Who,  tossed 
on  the  ever-restless  billows  of  life's  sea,  ever  seeking,  but 
never  finding  rest,  would  not  learn  a  lesson  of  wise  living  from 
these  careless  villagers. 

The  several  crystal  lakes,  resting  upon  an  elevated  plateau, 
have  a  superficial  area  of  56,000,000  s(iuare  feet,  and  are  a 
never-failing  storehouse,  from  which  the  river,  whose  cadences 
have  been  stilled,  draws  its  supplies.  Its  course  hts  been 
dammed,  and  its  stored  waters  are  conducted  by  meensof  a 
Hume  eight  feet  square  and  '^800  feet  in  length  along  a  level 


NEWFOUNDLAND.  179 

to  a  tunnel  that  has  been  bored  for  350  feet  through  a  moun- 
tain of  stone.  At  the  opening  of  this  tunnel,  a  steel  tube, 
starting  at  a  right  angle,  extends  down  a  steep  incline  185 
feet  to  the  power  house.  Down  this  tube  the  immense  volume 
of  water  rushes  with  augmented  momentum  upon  the  water 
wheel.  This  is  the  embodiment  of  gigantic  force,  evolving 
hundreds  of  horse-i)ower. 

The  present  capacity  of  this  power  hydraulic  plant  is 
1,600  horse-power,  but  the  flume  is  sufficient  for  another  plant 
of  equal  size  in  case  of  requirement.  In  transmission  of  the 
power  to  St.  John's  there  is  a  loss  of  20  per  cent.,  which  leaves 
an  amount  adequate  to  present  demands.  To  supply  this 
power  reduces  the  level  of  the  dam  but  six  miles.  Six  wires  are 
required  to  transmit  the  current  from  the  Petty  Harbor  power 
house,  seven  and  a  quarter  miles,  to  the  sub-station  at 
St.  John's.  From  this  sub-station  adequate  horse-power  will 
be  furnished  to  operate  twenty  street  cars  over  seven  miles  of 
track,  and  the  balance  will  be  available  for  electric  lighting 
and  for  operating  motors  for  various  mechanical  and  other 
purposes. 

To  the  inhabitants  of  St.  John's  who,  through  all  this  long 
and  dreary  waste  of  years,  have  been  dwelling  upon  the  ex- 
treme outport  of  the  continent,  the  diversion  of  this  river 
from  its  idle  pastime  to  practical  ends  -this  final  innovation — 
is  an  event  of  benign  import.  That,  at  last,  upon  the  threshold 
of  this  great  epoch,  they  should  be  transported  to  and  fro  by 
electricity,  is  a  realization  far  greater  than  the  dream  of  ages. 
It  is  meet  that  a  people  who  have  waited  so  long  should  enjoy 
the  latest  and  the  best  fruits  of  all  preceding  research. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

P>ELL   ISLAND. 

The  deposit  of  red  hematite  iron  ore  at  Bell  Island,  New- 
foundland, has  brought  this  once  obscure  isle  in  Conception 
Bay  into  great  prominence.  The  island  has  an  area  of  about 
sixteen  square  miles,  it  being  some  eight  miles  long  and  two 
miles  wide.  The  discovery  of  this  deposit  dates  back  but  a  few 
years,  and  was  purely  accidental.  A  fisherman  picked  up  what 
he  supposed  to  be  a  heavy  stone  as  ballast  for  his  boat.  Upon 
his  arrival  at  St.  John's,  it  was  discovered  by  a  mining  pros- 
pector, who  investigated  it,  and  soon  became  satisfied  of  its 
value.     This  led  to  the  vast  development  which  has  followed. 

The  ore  exists  under  conditions  so  peculiar  and  remarkable 
as  to  render  it  the  most  interesting  deposit  yet  discovered. 
The  ore  bed  is  composed  of  regular  blocks  of  red  hematite  of 
various  dimensions,  from  four  inches  in  length,  two  inches 
wide  and  two  inches  thick,  to  larger  «izes.  They  are  piled  up, 
one  above  the  other  with  singular  regularity,  the  deposits 
averaging  eight  feet  in  thickness,  and  covering  an  area  of 
many  hundred  acres. 

The  Wabana  mine,  purchased  by  the  Dominion  P  & 
Steel  (company,  extends  over  more  than  eight  hundred  acres, 
and  is  estimated  to  contain  28,000,000  tons  of  ore.  This  does 
not  include  the  extensive  areas  still  retained  by  the  Nova 
Scotia  Steel  Company,  nor  does  it  include  areas  of  the  former 
extending  under  the  sea.  The  Wabana  mine  is  about  two 
miles  from  the  shore,  from  which  a  large  pier  extends.  To 
this  pier,  which  is  supplied  with  pockets  for  holding  it,  the  ore 


''"■■': :^k^'  "^ 


llill    Island. 


NKWFurNDLANI). 


1S3 


is  conveyed  over  two  tramways  in  small  cars,  moved  by  an 
endless  chain.  The  facilities  for  storing  and  loading  the  ore 
into  vessels  are  so  extensive  and  complete,  that  the  largest 
ship  can  be  loaded  in  a  few  hours. 

The  method  of  mining  is  simple,  expeditious  and  cheap 
beyond  precedent,  rjjon  the  removal  of  the  layer  of  earth  and 
rock,  the  ore  bed  is  exposed.  The  blocks  of  ore  are  dislodged 
by  charges  of  dynamite,  and  shovelled  into  the  cars,  the  latter 
in  turn  conveying  it  to  the  pier. 

At  this  early  stage,  any  attempt  to  estimate  the  iron  ore 
deposit  of  Bell  Island  would  be  a  vague  problem.  It  is  evident 
that  it  is  equal  to  the  most  exacting  demands  of  both  the 
Dominion  Iron  &  Steel  Company  and  the  Nova  Scotia  Steel 
Company  for  indefinite  coming  years. 

Until  the  discovery  of  this  iron  deposit.  Bell  Island  was  the 
site  of  small  fishing  villages  safely  ensconced  in  breaks  in  the 


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lr,T,   (Jir  Mi<i,i,c,    Oi.ntiii.in  Iron    ^^  Stirl  On    t'yrth..n.iMii,c.hr//Jy/^riU.\lr.''r,y''c^/,i/',-/ 


NEWFOILNDLAND. 


185 


bold  cliffs  of  which  the  island  is  liuilt.  At  points  these  cliffs 
are  two  or  three  hundred  feet  high.  The  island  forms  an  im- 
posing landmark,  rising,  as  it  does,  boldly  out  of  the  surround- 
ing waters,  whose  billows  have  for  ages  beaten  its  impassive 
walls  of  rock. 


i8f)  NKWFOl'NDLANI). 

EXTRACTS   FROM  T(JURLSTS'   LETTHRS. 

Miss  SmjNKV  Bkanscomb  Foki>e  in  Bosto)i   Travfller : 

Newfoundland  in  the  sunnner-tinie,  is  a  vfritable  paradise.  The  interior  of 
the  island,  practically  nnvisited  by  man,  is  the  home  of  the  lordly  caribou. 
The  railway  has  opened  up  this  wilderness  and  introiUued  it  to  countless 
thousands  all  over  the  world.     *  *    The  Exploits  Valley  is  a  scene  of  wild 

beauty,  foaming  torrents,  waterfalls  and  canyons;  but  the  Humber  Valley  is  a 
combination  of  the  weird  attractiveness  that  makes  the  I'Lxploits  so  delisjfhtful, 
and  has  a  clear,  calm  Ijcauty  that  seems  as  though  a  peaceful  spirit  hovered 
over  it.  This  is  the  bright,  particular  spot  in  all  Newfoundlantl  which  nature 
has  endowed  with  all  the  added  charms  of  the  myriad  of  beautiful  sjiots  in  tlie 
island.  A  delightful  water  view  is  enjoyed  and  the  distant  peaks  come  grandly 
into  view,  sending  their  steep  declivities  down  to  the  water's  edge.  The  road- 
way runs  through  a  country  rich  in  natural  beauty  and  the  haunt  of  game,  but 
more  than  all  this,  through  a  country  teeming  with  untold  wealth. 

Special  Correspondence,  Montreal  Star : 

The  Wabana  iron  mine,  recently  purchased  In-  the  Dominion  Iron  and  Steel 
Company  for  a  million  dollars,  is  on  Bell  Islanil,  in  Conception  Hay,  Newfound- 
land, about  35  miles  from  St.  John's.  Experts  pronoimce  it  to  be  the  jnost  re- 
markable iron  mine  in  the  world,  and  even  the  ordinary  tourist,  who  knows 
nothing  about  minerals,  can  appreciate  its  ]3eculiar  foi'ination.  The  ore  bed 
consists  of  small  regular  blocks  of  hematite,  most  of  theni  about  four  inches 
long,  two  inches  wide  and  two  inches  thick,  but  some  of  them  considerabl\- 
larger.  These  blocks  are  piled  one  upon  another  and  close  together,  just  as  a 
child  piles  up  wooden  blocks,  makii;g  a  bed  of  ore  of  an  a\erage  thickness  of 
eight  feet  extending  over  Si;^  acres,  which  is  estimated  to  contain  28,oi)o,cx)o 
tons  of  available  ore  besides  the  areas  under  the  sea  which  will  be  referred  to 
later  on.  The  ore  crops  up  at  the  surface  and  mining  in  the  ordinary  sense  is 
not  required.  It  is  only  necessary  to  shake  the  blocks  of  ore  apart  and  they  can 
be  shovelled  into  cars  without  trouble.  Indeed,  as  each  of  the  little  blocks  of 
ore  appears  to  be  separate  from  the  others,  although  they  are  piled  very  close 
together,  it  would  probably  be  possible  to  pick  them  from  the  bed  by  hand,  but 
this  would  be  a  tedious  and  expensive  process,  and  in  order  to  loosen  large 
quantities  at  once  dynamite  is  used. 

Correspondence  Catholic  Record,  Ontario  : 

Canadians  should  see  for  themselves  the  many  advantages  possessed  by  this 
too  long  unknown  island,  as  a  spfirling  ground  and  a  place  of  unrivalled 
scenery,  both  coastal  and  inland.  In  fact  the  great  bays  along  the  sea  front, 
guarded  by  towering  headlands,  and  sheltering  .so  many  creeks  and  harbors 
give  such  a  seri^-s  of  picturesc|ue  contrasts  as  to  make  them  almost  unif|ue. 

liut  among  the  many  pleasant  spots  of  resort  all  over  the  island,  none  out- 
side of  St.  John's  is  more  sought  than  Placentia,  tiie  ancient  capital  of  the 
colony.  By  reason  of  its  rare  natural  beauty  of  scenery,  its  sea  arms  stretching 
miles  inland,  and  its  environment  of  lofty  hills,  Placentia  was  well  named  the 
"Killarnev  of  Newfoundland." 


NEWFOUNDLAND.  1S7 

Mr.  O.  a.  Clouoii  in  Montreal  HrViild : 

The  industrial  possibilities  of  N'ewt'oundland,  at  the  present  time,  are  an 
intensely  interesting  theme.  The  railway  has  opened  them  tn  the  world.  They 
consist  in  forests  of  pine,  spruce,  lir  and  birch,  suitable  for  lumber  and  wood- 
pulp,  and  for  all  the  various  purposes  for  which  wood  is  ret|uired  ;  in  lands  for 
fanning,  upon  which  oats,  hay,  potatoes,  vegetables  and  stock  can  be  raised  ; 
in  fiuarries  of  stone,  slate  and  marble,  and  in  mines  of  coal,  iron,  copper  and  of 
various  other  minerals.  These  are  a  part  of  the  treasures  which  the  railway 
will  aid  in  developing.  There  is  game  in  the  woods  and  fish  in  the  lakes  and 
streams. 

The  scenic  attractions  of  Newfoundland  are  great  in  diversity  antl  in 
beauty.  The  rock  beating  back  the  sea,  which  subsides  in  the  calm  <>f  the  bav; 
the  clear  waters  flowing  over  the  rocky  beds;  the  plaiid  internal  lakes  fed  by 
living  springs;  the  sparkling  water-falls;  the  high  cliffs  towering  above  the  se.t; 
the  mountain  ranges  clothed  in  living  green;  the  deep  secluded  glens  and  the 
still  forests— these  are  the  varied  pictures  which  nature  nffers  in  endless  charm- 
ing aspects  to  those  who  will  behold  llietn.  The  sumtner  climate  of  Xewfound- 
land  is  delightful. 

Coi..  A.  B.  Hi.AiK,  West  Hoboken,  N.  j.,  in   The  Truth: 

We  were  perfectly  delighted  with  our  deer-stalking  trip  ;  had  all  the  shoot- 
ing we  wished  for,  and  met  in  and  about  St.  John's  a  very  genial,  hospitable 
and  intelligent  class  of  persons,  who  did  much  to  make  our  stay  a  pleasant  one 
in  all  respects. 

An  Anonymous  writer  on  Newfoundland; 

Through  the  openingof  the  transinsular  railway,  tourists  can  travel  all  rail 
from  New  York  and  Boston  and  elsewhere  to  St.  John's,  with  tlie  exception  of 
a  ninety-three  mile  break  between  North  Sydney,  Cape  ISreton,  and  Port-aux- 
Basques,  Newfoundland.  This  gap  which  is  really  a  very  interesting  variation 
of  the  journey,  is  covered  by  the  fast  and  commodious  steamship  "  Bruce,"  also 
maintained  by  the  Newfoundland  Railway  System,  in  about  six  hours. 

It  is  not  predicting  too  much  to  say  that  Newfoundland,  now  that  it  has 
fallen  into  line  with  other  portions  of  the  continent,  in  the  matter  of  transpor- 
tation facilities,  is  destined,  in  the  near  future,  to  liave  a  veritable  boom,  l^oili 
industrially  and  in  regular  summer  travel.  It  will  be  yet  another  link  in  the 
chain  of  maratime  resorts,  beginning  with  New  York  and  ending  with  Lal)rador. 

The  summer  climate  of  Newfoundland  is  superb,  and  the  ruggedness  of  its 
coast  has  led  to  it  being  named  the  "  American  Norway."  The  summer  temper- 
ature is  ec|uable,  the  days  being  mild  and  the  nights  cool  and  bracing. 
Altogether,  Newfoundland  may  be  set  down  as  one  of  the  finest  health  resorts 
in  the  country. 

Every  winter,  artists  and  sportsmen  who  have  visited  Newfoundland  have 
returned  enthusiastic  over  the  manifold  attractions  of  the  place. 


